WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s decision to go back on his word and issue a categorical pardon for his son, Hunter, just weeks before his scheduled sentencing on gun and tax convictions was a surprise that wasn’t all that surprising.

The 82-year-old president said in a statement that his son's prosecution on charges of tax evasion and falsifying a federal weapons purchase form were politically motivated.

Katie Cherkasky said there was an "open legal question" about the wording of President Joe Biden's pardon of his son.

President Joe Biden has pardoned his son, Hunter, though he had previously said he would not do so. WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden had long pledged that he would not pardon his son, Hunter, who was set to be sentenced this month for gun and tax convictions. But on Sunday, the president did it anyway.

Already reeling from their November defeats, Democrats now are grappling with President Joe Biden's pardoning of his son for federal crimes after the party spent years slamming Donald Trump as a threat to democracy who disregarded the law.

The Tennessean's letters reflect the views of the authors and add to public discourse. At issue today: President Biden's pardon of his son Hunter.

President Joe Biden had long pledged that he would not pardon his son, Hunter, who was set to be sentenced this month for gun and tax convictions. But on Sunday, the president did it anyway. The sweeping pardon covers not only Hunter Biden’s convictions in two cases in Delaware and California,

Despite pledging as recently as early November he would not go through with it, President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden on the night of Dec. 1. He said he “believe[s] raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice.