CNN Panel Erupts Over Biden’s Pardon of Hunter Biden [WATCH]

A heated exchange unfolded on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday after contributor Scott Jennings sharply criticized Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden.

Jennings labeled the pardon a “total disgrace,” prompting a clash with former Kamala Harris’s aide Jamal Simmons and The View co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin.

The controversy stems from Biden’s announcement on Dec. 1, pardoning Hunter Biden for alleged federal tax and firearm violations.

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In a statement, the president claimed his son was unfairly targeted by political opponents attempting to “break” their family through the courts.

Jennings expressed outrage at the decision, accusing Biden of dishonesty and failure to address the public directly. “He’s leaving office in disgrace because of this pardon, and it’s not just the pardon—it’s the lying,” Jennings said. “According to NBC News, he and his top aides hatched a plan to lie to the American people. And then this week, he didn’t even have the guts to go out to the White House podium and take questions about it.”

Jennings further criticized White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, accusing her of gaslighting both the media and the public.

“This is a monumental disgrace,” he added. “You think 38, 39% job approval is low? Wait until we test him as he leaves office. He’s going out of office as one of the least liked and most divisive presidents we’ve ever had.”

Jamal Simmons, a former communications director for Kamala Harris, defended Biden’s actions, suggesting the pardon was a necessary response to partisan attacks.

Simmons argued that Biden’s approach was a reaction to what he described as Trump’s unorthodox tactics.

“Let’s not get too self-righteous about this,” Simmons said. “If you walk into a boxing match and you find out the person you’re fighting is an MMA fighter, sooner or later you got to take the gloves off and get into the fight.” He contended that Trump’s behavior justified Biden’s choice, stating, “What they have discovered in the White House is that everyone else is playing by these very pristine rules, while Trump is doing whatever he wants to do.”

Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump administration official, criticized the language used in Biden’s statement.

She compared it to remarks made by President-elect Donald Trump about the Department of Justice during his own legal battles.

“The statement wasn’t, ‘I fear that Kash Patel will come after my son,’” Farah Griffin said. “It was, ‘This was a essentially politicized department.’”

Jennings then pressed Simmons on whether Biden’s statement implied the Department of Justice was corrupt. “He said his own Department of Justice is corrupt. Is it?” Jennings asked.

Simmons avoided directly addressing the question, instead emphasizing the need to protect Biden’s family and associates from potential future investigations under Trump’s administration. “The question is are you going to leave all of your people, your family and your staff up to the place where Donald Trump and his henchmen can go after them in a political way at the Justice Department?”

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to serve as attorney general and Kash Patel to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Both figures are seen as aligned with Trump’s promises to overhaul the Justice Department and address alleged weaponization of federal agencies.

The debate over Hunter Biden’s pardon highlights the escalating partisan tensions surrounding legal accountability and the role of federal agencies, setting the stage for continued conflict as Trump prepares to take office.

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