President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son isn’t sitting well with one of his longtime senior aides.
The sweeping pardon of Hunter Biden earlier this month amounted to “an attack on our judicial system,” said Anita Dunn, a former senior adviser to the president who left the administration in August.
Dunn took issue with the timing and justification for the pardon, which came after the younger Biden was convicted on gun and tax charges and the president had previously said he would not use his power to protect his son.
“The argument is one that I think many observers are concerned about. A president who ran to restore the rule of law, who has upheld the rule of law, who has really defended the rule of law kind of saying, ‘Well, maybe not right now,’” Dunn said.
She made the comments Dec. 4 at The New York Times’ annual DealBook Summit, but the appearance was only posted Wednesday.
It’s the first time Dunn has publicly criticized her former boss over the pardon. She has long been one of Biden’s closest advisers and was the first major staff member to leave the administration after his exit from the 2024 race to join the Kamala Harris campaign.
“I do not agree with the way it was done, I don’t agree with the timing, and I don’t agree, frankly, with the attack on our judicial system,” Dunn added.
Biden signed a “full and unconditional” pardon for his son on Dec. 1.
Dunn said it was clear that the White House was “not part of this process” but that it was done internally with the family and defense lawyers.
Hunter Biden was found guilty in June of three felony counts stemming from his 2018 purchase of a handgun while he was addicted to crack cocaine. He pleaded guilty in September to tax evasion and other federal tax crimes.