Ryan Bridge: Nobody is above the law, until they are

Why do Americans keep saying nobody is above the law and then repeatedly showing us some blatantly are. 

Biden tweeted during the campaign "nobody is above the law".

He said it many times, but he was talking about charges against Trump, of course. 

But, on principle, he said the same applies to him and his family - Including his son Hunter. 

That brings us back here - He's lost the election and quicker than you can say 'get out of jail free', he's flip-flopped and the convictions are wiped clean. 

Now Hunter won't face any jail time or have a criminal record for two separate court cases, some of them involving gun charges.

Their constitution allows Presidents to pardon pretty much anyone for federal crimes, except themselves for impeachment. 

Trump did it on the way out too. 

Obama, both Bushes and FDR hit the record with more than 2000 pardons. 

At the same time Biden proves his son is in fact above the law you've got the Department of Justice dropping cases against Trump left, right and centre.

Why? 

Well, they have a policy of not going after sitting Presidents. 

So we have DOJ policy and that pesky written constitution to blame and that's fine, it's their country, not mine. 

But aren't you glad we don't mix politics with justice here like they do in the States? When we say nobody's above the law we pretty much mean it.

I know some will argue we apply the law unevenly and there are cases to be made, but on political grounds? 

This department going after person A because their Labour or Act or whatever - It just doesn't work that like here.

The Americans do many things well but the separation of powers doesn't appear to be one of them. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the American well would be American presidents now
outgoing and the one elect. No one will be above
the law. American principle that no one is above the law.
Why do Americans keep saying nobody is above the law
and then repeatedly showing us that some blatantly are. Biden

(00:22):
tweeted this during the campaign. Nobody is above the law.
He said it one hundred times. He was talking about
charges against Trump, of course, but on principle, he said,
the same applies to him and his family, including his
son Hunter. Then here we are. He's lost the election,
and quicker than you can say, get out of jail free,
he has flip flopped on that. Convictions wiped clean. Hunter

(00:43):
now won't face any jail time or have a criminal
record for two separate court cases, some of them involving
gun charges. By the way, their constitution allows this, It
allows presidents to pardon pretty much anyone for federal crimes
except them, so for impeachment. Trump did it on the
way out too when he was in last time. Obama

(01:05):
both bush'es FDR apparently hit the record with more than
two thousand pardons when he left office. At the same
time that Biden proves his son is in fact above
the law. You've got the Department of Justice dropping cases
against Trump, left, right and center. Why well, they have
a policy of not going after sitting presidents. So we
have a Department of Justice policy. We have that pesky

(01:27):
written constitution to blame, and that's fine. It's their country,
it's not mine. But aren't you kind of glad that
we don't mix politics with justice here like they do
in the States. When we say nobody's above them law,
we pretty much mean it, don't we. I know some
will argue that we apply the law unevenly, and there

(01:48):
are cases to be made for that, but on political grounds, nah,
we don't really do that. This is the Department going
after person a because they vote for labor or they
vote for act or whatever. It just doesn't work like
that here. The Americans do many things well, but separation
of powers, particularly when it comes to these types of issues,
doesn't appear to be one of them. For more from

(02:11):
Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live to News Talk
Set be from five am weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.