On Monday, CNN anchor Brianna Keilar pressed Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) on his past statements assuring that Joe Biden would not pardon his son, Hunter Biden.

Image Credit: © Josh Morgan-USA TODAY

The pointed exchange followed Biden’s unexpected Sunday night decision to issue a full pardon for Hunter, sparking criticism from both Republicans and Democrats.

Keilar opened the segment by playing a July 2023 clip in which Goldman dismissed the possibility of a presidential pardon for Hunter.

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In the clip, Goldman emphasized Biden’s commitment to judicial independence, contrasting him with former President Donald Trump.

“Yes, and I don’t think there’s any chance that President Biden is going to do that, unlike his predecessor, who pardoned all of his friends and anyone who had any access to him,” Goldman said at the time.

Confronted with his own words, Goldman appeared uneasy as he attempted to justify the shift.

He argued that his comments were made when a plea agreement for Hunter seemed likely, claiming that the collapse of the deal changed the legal landscape. “That plea deal had gone through, there would be no pardon,” Goldman said.

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However, his original remarks were made after the plea deal fell apart, raising questions about his defense.

BRUTAL: Brianna Keilar on CNN just made Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-NY) watch a clip of himself insisting that Biden would never pardon Hunter. She then asked: "What does that feel like?"

They even kept him on-screen as the video played so we could watch his reaction. pic.twitter.com/uC6EM06Ikh — Bill D'Agostino (@Banned_Bill) December 2, 2024

On Sunday evening, Joe Biden announced his decision to pardon Hunter, who faced multiple legal convictions in 2024.

Hunter Biden was convicted in federal cases involving false statements on a gun purchase form and tax-related offenses.

“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” Biden stated, framing the decision as a response to perceived selective prosecution. “From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.”

Biden defended his decision by arguing that similar offenses rarely lead to the severe charges Hunter faced. “Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form,” Biden said.

He also noted that many late tax payments involving addiction issues are resolved non-criminally.

“The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” Biden added. “Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.”

The Hunter Biden Special Counsel is just a fig leaf designed to distract. David Weiss is the *same* person who negotiated the farcical Hunter Biden “plea deal” that a federal judge rejected handedly. Don’t buy the deflection, it’s just a smokescreen. pic.twitter.com/wKPWyahv3b

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) August 12, 2023

Hunter Biden, 54, faced two major legal challenges in 2024.

In one case, he was convicted in Delaware federal court for lying on a federal form while purchasing a firearm.

The second case, in California, resulted in multiple convictions for tax-related crimes.

The initial plea agreement between Hunter and the Justice Department unraveled in court, prompting additional charges.

David Weiss waited four years to bring these charges against Hunter Biden. He brought these charges under pressure because a very good judge in Delaware called him out on this sweetheart plea deal with this backdoor pardon. This indictment should be the beginning of the… pic.twitter.com/diZOT842C5

— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) December 11, 2023

Republicans in Congress celebrated the breakdown of the deal, claiming it exposed a double standard in the justice system.

The pardon adds to mounting challenges in Biden’s final weeks in office, including a struggling economy and declining approval ratings.

Critics argue the move undermines Biden’s promises to restore integrity to the presidency and insulate the Justice Department from political influence.

The decision is widely seen as a damaging blow to Biden’s legacy, reinforcing perceptions of hypocrisy and eroding public trust in his administration.

As Biden prepares to leave office, the controversy surrounding Hunter’s pardon is likely to remain a focal point in political discourse.

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