Hunter Biden Conviction Shatters Trump’s Persecution Narrative

An unprecedented two weeks of legal drama yielded historic convictions of a former president and a sitting president’s son, underscoring a crucial political takeaway: the survival of the rule of law in America may hinge on voters' choices in November.

                                                                                        

The divergent responses of President Joe Biden and presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump to their respective legal challenges highlight the starkly different paths the country might take under their leadership.

Biden refrained from interfering in his son Hunter's prosecution, allowing his Justice Department to secure a guilty verdict that could result in jail time for the recovering addict and potentially harm Biden’s 2024 campaign. “I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal,” Biden said after the jury found his son guilty of lying on a federal background check form and possessing a gun while addicted to, or using, illegal drugs. Biden has already stated he won’t pardon his son. Hunter Biden expressed gratitude for his family's support and emphasized his commitment to staying clean.

In contrast, Trump reacted to his own trial and conviction in his hush money case with anger, attacking witnesses, prosecutors, jurors, and the judge. He claimed, without evidence, that the “Biden administration” orchestrated the case to damage him politically. Despite the fact that the Justice Department was not involved in the case brought by the Manhattan district attorney, Trump labeled the verdict “a rigged decision.” He has since warned that he would use presidential powers to punish his political opponents and manipulate the legal system if re-elected.

“Sometimes revenge can be justified,” Trump told TV psychologist Phil McGraw. “I have to be honest. You know, sometimes it can.” Trump also told Fox News, “I would have every right to go after them,” referring to the Bidens.

Throughout his trial in Manhattan, Trump insisted he couldn’t get a fair verdict in a city that votes predominantly Democratic. However, Delaware, a blue state, convicted the president’s son without any political bias in the deliberations, according to a juror.

Had Hunter Biden been acquitted, Republicans would likely have argued that a biased jury protected him. Instead, the guilty verdict countered their narrative of a weaponized legal system targeting Republicans.

Joe Biden pledged to restore the Justice Department’s independence after Trump’s repeated attempts to use its powers for personal gain. Trump, however, has made it clear that he would disregard the DOJ’s core mission of impartiality if he regains the White House, vowing to prosecute Biden and his family and to dismantle the so-called “Deep State.”

The Hunter Biden verdict also undermined Trump’s defense in his multiple legal cases and his entire presidential campaign, which relies on the false notion that he is a victim of a partisan Justice Department.

Michael Zeldin, a former senior Justice Department official, said on CNN Max, “This is testament to the fact the Justice Department under [Attorney General Merrick] Garland is trying its very best to steer straight down the middle as it should and bring people to trial that it thinks are worthy of prosecution.”

David Weiss, the Trump-appointed US attorney in Delaware elevated to special counsel by Garland to avoid political bias, thanked the attorney general for allowing him to act independently. He emphasized, “No one in this country is above the law. Everyone must be accountable for their actions, even this defendant.” However, he added that Hunter Biden should be no more accountable than any other citizen convicted of similar conduct.

Ken Buck, a former Republican member of Congress, told CNN’s Erin Burnett that Joe Biden handled his son’s trial and conviction appropriately. “He did a great job in trying to stay above the fray and recognizing that his Justice Department was in a very difficult position. People look at this case and realize it was done in an independent and fair way.”

Julian Zelizer, a Princeton University history professor and CNN political analyst, said the convictions of Trump and Hunter Biden reflected the high stakes in November’s election. “Not only is [Joe Biden] saying the decision is one that comes from the courts, he’s not saying he’s going to use presidential power to somehow issue a pardon. And you contrast that with the former president who’s attacked the legal system and questioned its legitimacy.” Zelizer added, “Voters will have to make a choice. What kind of response do they want? And what kind of person do they want in the Oval Office come January 2025?”

The idea that the Justice Department targets only Republicans is further discredited by the Hunter Biden conviction and upcoming tax trial, as well as the indictment of Democratic Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey for bribery and corruption. Another Democrat, Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas, and his wife were indicted for allegedly accepting bribes in exchange for official acts.

Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin highlighted the contrast between Trump and Biden. “The Republicans are attacking our entire system of justice and the rule of law because they don’t like the way one case came out. Whereas the son of the president of the United States is prosecuted, and I don’t hear a single Democrat crying foul,” he said.

However, the truth often fails to penetrate the echo chamber of Republican politics and conservative media. Instead of reassessing their stance, Trump supporters in Congress used the Biden verdict to fuel new conspiracy theories.

House Oversight Chairman James Comer called the Delaware trial “a step toward accountability” but accused the Justice Department of “covering for the Big Guy, Joe Biden.” House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed this sentiment, demanding accountability for the Bidens’ “corrupt business dealings” despite lacking evidence from ongoing investigations.

Stephen Miller, Trump’s former White House adviser, argued that the Justice Department had shown favoritism toward Hunter Biden by not charging him with numerous felonies. Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene baselessly suggested the verdict was an elaborate plot to maintain the appearance of balanced justice.

As the nation approaches November, the convictions of a former president and a sitting president’s son present a stark choice for voters: uphold the rule of law or succumb to political retribution and manipulation.