‘Wants to Protect His Child’: Durbin Defends Biden as Tapper Grills Him On Hunter Pardon President ‘Said Again and Again’ He Wouldn’t Do

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) defended President Joe Biden’s controversial pardon of his son Hunter Biden on Sunday after being pressed on the topic by CNN’s Jake Tapper.

Biden announced last week a pardon that was unconditional and covered any crimes his son might have committed dating back to Jan. 1, 2014.

Getting ahead of the bipartisan backlash, Biden said his son was not treated fairly, even though he had said for some time he would not interfere.

“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” Biden said. “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.”

On CNN’s State of the Union Sunday, Tapper asked Durbin about the situation as someone who was close to the president. Tapper noted Biden pledged to stay out of his son’s legal issues.

“He said again and again he would not pardon his son Hunter,” Tapper said.

He continued:

Then, a week ago, he turned around and gave Hunter not just a pardon but a blanket pardon for any crimes he may or may not have committed in the last 11 years, covering not just the gun and tax charges and convictions but also anything he did while in the throes of addiction involving Burisma, his alleged influence peddling dealings with the Chinese government Chinese companies.

Your colleague, Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, said that the Hunter Biden pardon further erodes Americans’ faith that the Justice System is fair and equal for all.

Tapper asked, “Do you agree? Do you have any concerns about this pardon?” Durbin replied:

Listen, Joe Biden is my friend. I’ve known him for over 20 years and I’ll tell you most conversations I have with him is about his family.

This is a man who loves his children and has gone through quite an ordeal, having lost a former wife and child in an automobile accident and seeing the two boys, Beau and Hunter, go through serious hospital stays and try to rebuild their lives.

If I have to have a bias in this area, it’s a loving parent who wants to protect his child. I understand that situation, and I understand Michael Bennett’s observation. He promised he wouldn’t do it and now he’s doing it. But it’s a labor of love as far as I’m concerned from a loving father.

Watch the clip above via CNN.