David Weiss, the special counsel who prosecuted Hunter Biden, has alleged that US President Joe Biden undermined public confidence in the justice system by criticizing the investigation of his son.
Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, 54, was convicted of gun and tax crimes in cases brought by special counsel David Weiss. However, he was pardoned by Joe Biden in December.
In the final report released on Monday, Weiss stated that Joe Biden, while declaring the pardon, had condemned the prosecution of his son, calling it "selective," "unfair," "infected" by "raw politics," and a “miscarriage of justice,” reported AFP.
"This statement is gratuitous and wrong," Weiss stated. "Other presidents have pardoned family members, but in doing so, none have taken the occasion as an opportunity to malign the public servants at the Department of Justice based solely on false accusations."
The prosecution of Hunter Biden was done through thorough, impartial investigations and not driven by partisan politics, according to the special counsel.
"Calling those rulings into question and injecting partisanship into the independent administration of the law undermines the very foundation of what makes America's justice system fair and equitable," AFP quoted Weiss. “It erodes public confidence in an institution that is essential to preserving the rule of law,” he added.
However, Biden pardoned his son before sentencing in the two criminal cases.
"No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter's cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son -- and that is wrong," Joe Biden said at the time.
The Weiss report was released just before another special counsel report by Jack Smith, who brought two criminal cases against US President-elect Donald Trump.
Smith has alleged that Trump mishandled secret documents after leaving the White House to challenge the 2020 presidential election results.
Neither case went to trial, and Smith, in accordance with the Justice Department policy of not prosecuting a sitting president, dropped the charges after Trump won the November presidential election.
The findings of the Smith report may likely be withheld because charges are pending against two of Trump's former co-defendants.
Last year, Hunter Biden was convicted of drug use when he bought a gun and pleaded guilty in a different tax evasion case.
Joe Biden had repeatedly claimed that he would not pardon his son. However, he did so after "watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted."
Earlier, US Presidents pardoned family members and political allies.
Bill Clinton pardoned his half-brother for cocaine charges, while Trump pardoned the father of his son-in-law for tax evasion. In both cases, the accused had already served their prison terms.
Trump has also promised to pardon his supporters who attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in to reverse his 2020 election loss.
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