Biden pardons son Hunter as presidency winds down

Outgoing US President Joe Biden has issued a full pardon for his son Hunter Biden, who was facing sentencing on criminal charges for tax evasion and a firearms violation.

The decision, announced less than two months before Biden leaves office, has drawn sharp criticism and raised fresh questions about the independence of the US judicial system.

Hunter Biden, who earlier this year pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges and was convicted of lying about drug use when purchasing a firearm, could have faced up to 42 years in prison if sentenced.

Despite President Biden's repeated assurances during his term that he would not intervene in his son’s legal troubles, the president said he was compelled to act after what he called selective prosecution driven by political motives.

In a strongly worded statement, President Biden argued that the charges were politically motivated.

"No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter's cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son -- and that is wrong," he said.

The elder Biden accused Republican lawmakers of orchestrating the cases against his son as part of an effort to undermine his administration and damage his re-election chances before he dropped out of the race in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris.

"I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice," Biden added.

The pardon comes just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office. Trump, who has himself faced multiple criminal indictments, has criticised the pardon, suggesting it sets a dangerous precedent.