Trump vs. Hunter Biden: Former President Donald J. Trump faces 78 criminal counts in three instances and a tangle of civil lawsuits and trials alleging a wide variety of wrongdoings. Hunter, what about him? keeps coming up as the key to his defense.
Right media and Republican Party leadership repeat Mr. Trump’s legal team’s well planned tactics. The reaction is startling after the shocking indictment accusing the former commander-in-chief of plotting to undermine democracy. People are focused on President Biden’s children’s scandals instead of his evidence.
Trump supporters are outraged by Hunter Biden’s dirty deals, not the indictment’s complexity. Many believe the Department of Justice is targeting the former president to protect the current president. Thus, Hunter Biden represents the “swamp” in Washington, D.C., while Mr. Trump is a victim of persistent foes.
This week’s huge charge capped months of “whataboutism” brewing. It appears to be a distraction from Trump’s legal issues. It aims to reinforce his most faithful supporters and create enough uncertainty to scare off independents and swing voters.
But consider the misfits. Hunter Biden has never wanted to be president, and there is no evidence that his father did anything
illegal. Mr. Trump’s professional and personal relationships are intertwined. Hunter Biden’s wildest claims pale in comparison to a current president’s alleged election rigging and power grab.
Alyssa Farah Griffin, who resigned as White House strategic communications director after Trump falsely claimed the 2020 election was rigged, criticizes. She briefly explains that Mr. Trump’s actions on January 6, 2021, were wrong.
J. Michael Luttig, a respected conservative former appeals court judge, dissects the resemblance, disproving this story. He compares Mr. Trump’s claims to Hunter Biden’s missteps, calling it “silly even to talk about the two in the same breath.”
This argument appeals to Mr. Trump’s most ardent supporters, who hold it sacred. This dedicated group thinks Hunter Biden is getting special treatment while the former president is being mistreated. Three-quarters of Republicans said Hunter Biden was being treated unfairly after pleading guilty to tax crimes in a June Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Even though Trump chose David C. Weiss, the U.S. attorney who negotiated Hunter Biden’s guilty deal, people are dubious. Mr. Weiss disputes claims that the Justice Department dragged down the investigation. Even while Mr. Weiss’s prosecutors stated last week that they are still investigating Hunter Biden, House Republicans
continue to claim interference.
As the allegation was read, Mr. Trump naturally shifted to the Hunter
Biden narrative. His social media posts showed how bluster works in
legal disarray.
Using phrases like “Biden Crime Family,” Mr. Trump’s supporters added to the story. In a radio interview, House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik stressed two types of justice. Senator Tim Scott, a seasoned politician competing against Mr. Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, said the same thing. He contrasted political opponents’ justice to the president’s children’s.
The Republican National Committee risked “whataboutism” by posting a video on social media showing Democrats’ 2016 election claims against Mr. Trump. However, President Obama and Vice President Biden did not prevent Mr. Trump from becoming president. This contrasts with systematic efforts to prevent the 2021 power change.
Trump’s technique is to accuse his opponents of doing what he has done. He openly wanted to utilize the Justice Department to punish opponents and reward friends during his presidency. His strong attempts to overturn Michael T. Flynn’s conviction and reduce Roger J.
Stone Jr.’s sentence are similar. Joe Biden, the current president, has been silent about the probe investigating his predecessor. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland appointed Jack Smith as a special counsel to avoid the probe. The probe has some independence under the department’s standards.
READ MORE: Trump’s Federal Prosecoition: Unprecedented Legal Peril Trump’s Prosecution for Election Fraud
On Capitol Hill, House Republican leaders openly want Mr. Biden’s presidency to be as disastrous as Mr. Trump’s, which resulted in two impeachments. Despite no charges against Mr. Biden and rumors of an impeachment probe, Speaker Kevin McCarthy wants to remove Mr. Trump’s impeachments.
The “whataboutism” defense has been successful in the past, but will it work in reaction to the latest indictment? Mr. Trump’s devoted fans may not care about his earlier state and federal prosecutions, but the latest charges go in a different direction. He is accused of organizing schemes that led to the Capitol breach on January 6, 2021, a brazen attempt to damage the election process. These claims have Mr. Trump’s closest circle worried that a new era of accountability may hurt his followers harder.
Hunter Biden’s story confuses Democrats. Even private critiques reveal opinions on exploiting family ties for business. Hunter Biden’s path, especially during personal difficulties,
This surprises Democrats. Democrats are confident that Hunter Biden will not be a political asset in 2024. Most voters in the Reuters-Ipsos poll said the president’s son controversy hasn’t impacted their voting plans.
New York Democrat Dan Goldman, who led House Democrats during Trump’s first impeachment, said that comparing the two major characters’ behavior fails when examined thoroughly. He calls this “false premise” that Mr. Trump’s claims are as serious as Hunter Biden’s.