White House silent on possibility of commuting Hunter Biden sentence

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday declined to say whether President Joe Biden would commute his son’s sentence for gun-related charges. A Delaware jury on Tuesday found Hunter Biden guilty of lying on a federal form to purchase a handgun and possessing the gun while addicted to drugs. President Biden previously said he would not pardon his son if Hunter were convicted.

What’s the difference between a pardon and commuting a sentence? The Constitution allows the president to grant reprieves and pardons in federal cases, except for cases involving impeachment. The U.S. Supreme Court has determined that the clause grants the president authority to either completely remove the punishment for a person’s conviction or to reduce a sentence. Congress’ annotations to the Constitution explain that the president’s power is limited. For example, the president does not have the authority to pardon those convicted of state crimes or to preemptively immunize someone in case of conviction.

What exactly did Jean-Pierre say? When asked about the possibility that the president could commute his son’s sentence, Jean-Pierre said she had not spoken to President Biden since the jury handed down its verdict. She referred back to statements President Biden made the previous week about the trial during an interview, saying he had been clear and upfront at that time. She added that the president and First Lady Jill Biden love their son and want to support him.

But when pressed again on the issue, she repeated her statement, adding that Hunter’s sentence had not yet been determined. She added that she had nothing else to say beyond what President Biden had already said.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report in The Stew examining the verdict against Hunter Biden.