The White House blames Rep. Jim Clyburn for convincing Biden to pardon Hunter

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday that Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) played a key role in convincing President Biden to pardon his son Hunter.

Jean-Pierre claimed Biden, 82, “wrestled” with the decision to pardon his son for all crimes he committed between 2014 and 2024 – but it was a visit from Clyburn, 84, that tipped the balance and caused the president to resign on his repeated promises not to do so.

“You’ve heard this president say many times, he believes that when it comes to his family, when it comes to how he moves forward, when it comes to thinking about his family, they are the beginning, the middle and the end “said Jean-said Pierre.

“And he wrestled with it. The decision was not easy for him.”

A federal jury convicted Hunter, 54, of three felonies in June after he lied on a gun purchase form in 2018 and claimed he had not used drugs or had a drug addiction, when in fact he was actively using crack cocaine at the time.

A court hearing in the case was scheduled for Dec. 12.

Jean-Pierre said Clyburn, who has long had President Biden’s ear, spoke to the lame-duck commander in chief two weeks ago and pushed for Hunter’s pardon.

“These are Clyburn’s words: ‘The president was reticent’ in trying to encourage him to pardon Hunter. … I think that’s important to note,” the White House press secretary said.

Jean-Pierre referenced Biden’s conversation with Clyburn several times during the briefing, suggesting that it was an important turning point for the president as he considered going back on his promise to the American people.

Since Hunter’s pardon, Clyburn has pushed the administration to grant additional pardons before the president leaves office.

The South Carolina Democrat announced Friday that he had asked White House officials to persuade Biden to remove several current and former administration officials who he fears could be in the crosshairs of President-elect Donald Trump’s new administration. to pardon preventively.

“I also told them that I think he should go further because of all the noise about Jack Smith and Liz Cheney and Doctor Fauci and all that,” Clyburn said, referring to the special counsel prosecuting Trump’s federal cases. former Republican congressman from Wyoming, co-chair of the House Investigations Committee on January 6, and ex-COVID czar Anthony Fauci.

Multiple media outlets reported this week that senior White House officials are discussing the need for Biden to issue such preemptive pardons to head off possible investigations and charges against Trump critics.

Sen.-elect Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and retired Gen. Mark Milley were also identified as potentially in need of a pardon.

Clyburn also signaled this week that he would support Biden even pardoning Trump before he enters the Oval Office.

“Yes, I definitely could,” Clyburn told CNN when asked if he supported pardoning Trump, “because the Supreme Court has made it pretty clear that he will be preemptively pardoned for anything he does as president could do.”

Trump, 78, was convicted of criminal fraud in a New York hush money trial against porn star Stormy Daniels. However, his sentencing has been delayed as the judge considers whether to proceed as the politician is on his way back to the White House.