Editorial: The New York Times

• President Biden has issued pardons to only 26 people during his term, and granted the commutation of 132 prison sentences.
• In direct violation of his own pledges not to do so, Mr. Biden pardoned his own son, Hunter.
• This represents a significant misstep that could have lasting damage, not only tarnishing Mr. Biden's own record as a defender of democratic norms, but also providing justification for further abuses of Mr. Donald Trump.
• At a base level, it reinforces the perception that Mr. Trump's systematic abuse of the pardon system in his first term was not an aberration, and that presidents of every party exploit their constitutional privilege to favor their relatives.
• Hunter Biden, who has a long history of exploiting his family's name and influence, did break the law. He pleaded guilty to nine federal tax charges after being convicted by a jury of his peers for the firearms-related crimes.

Conclusion: President Biden should be using his clemency powers to address real inequities in the legal system rather than self-serving interests, especially since there are more than 8,000 petitions for clemency pending with the Justice Department.

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