CNN host Brianna Keilar harshly questioned Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., on Monday about his previous statements that President Joe Biden would never pardon his son, Hunter.
In a statement, President Biden explained that Hunter was “singled out only because he is my son” and that there was an effort “to break Hunter” to “break me.” Hunter was convicted in two separate federal cases this year, including pleading guilty to federal tax charges in September and being convicted of three felony gun charges in June.
Keilar recalled that in July 2023, Goldman said he didn’t think there was a chance Biden would pardon his son, stating that it was unlike his predecessor, who pardoned his friends and allies. He argued that the Department of Justice’s independence was evident in the investigation of the president’s son.
Keilar played a recording of Goldman’s 2023 statement, and questioned him about it, saying, “What does that feel like? Watching yourself back then reassuring people that Biden was not going to issue a pardon for his son?”
Goldman stated that if the plea agreement had gone through, there would have been no pardon, but Keilar interrupted him, correcting that the deal had already fallen through. She asked what it felt like to have taken Biden at his word only to see him go back on it.
Goldman expressed disappointment in what he perceived as Hunter’s targeting due to being the president’s son, and claimed that there might be retributive prosecution under a potential Trump administration. He also stated that the Department of Justice’s investigation of Hunter’s cases was unique and different from others.