The White House is not ruling out a potential commutation for Hunter Biden, the president's son who was convicted on three federal gun crimes. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that the sentencing for Hunter Biden has not been scheduled yet. She mentioned that she has not discussed the issue with President Joe Biden since the verdict was delivered.
President Biden had previously ruled out a pardon for his son during an ABC News interview. However, the possibility of a commutation is not entirely off the table, according to Jean-Pierre. A commutation would reduce the sentence but leave the conviction intact.
A pardon is an act of forgiveness that restores certain rights lost upon conviction, such as the right to vote. In contrast, a commutation does not erase the conviction but lessens the punishment.
This stance from the White House marks a shift from their previous position in September when asked about the potential pardon or commutation for Hunter Biden if convicted. At that time, the press secretary had firmly stated that there would be no pardon or commutation.
Hunter Biden was found guilty of lying on a mandatory gun purchase form by falsely claiming he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs and unlawfully possessing the gun for 11 days. The three charges he faces carry a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
However, the decision on whether Hunter Biden will serve time in prison rests with U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, who was nominated by former President Donald Trump. Judge Noreika has not yet set a date for sentencing.
