2024-12-02
14 分钟On today’s show: President Biden pardons his son. President-elect Trump picks a new FBI director. The Washington Post details how an urgently needed global agreement on plastic fell apart. Health experts say more men should get tested for the BRCA cancer gene. The Atlantic’s Kristen Brown explains why. Plus, the Bills “mafia” grabs their shovels again, the L.A. Times breaks down how much food Americans waste at Thanksgiving, and what to know about online shopping this Cyber Monday. Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.
Good morning.
It's Monday, December 2nd.
Welcome back to Apple News Today.
I'm Sumita Basu.
Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving.
On today's show, how an urgently needed global agreement on plastic fell apart, why health experts want more men to get tested for the BRCA cancer gene.
And some things to keep in mind as we head into Cyber Monday.
But first to two big developments involving presidents and the perception that justice can be manipulated in their favor.
First, last night, President Biden issued a full and unconditional pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, despite repeatedly saying he would not use his executive power to pardon his son or commute his sentence.
Earlier this year, Hunter Biden was convicted of three felonies in a federal gun trial, which carried a potential prison sentence, and of three felony count accounts for tax evasion.
In a statement, President Biden called the cases against his son politically motivated, saying other people are almost never brought to trial for the same actions, but his son was treated differently.
The pardon comes as Biden has just about 50 days left in office.
Presidents have pardoned family before.
Bill Clinton pardoned his half brother.
Trump pardoned Jared Kushner's father.
But Biden's decision to pardon Hunter is likely to cause an uproar among some Republicans and even among some Democrats who worry it could be seen as hypocritical.
So since one of their central criticisms of Trump is that he'll weaponize the Justice Department for his own benefit.
Which takes us to the second big development, this one involving the FBI, the principal investigative arm of the doj.
Over the weekend, Trump said he will nominate a loyalist named Kash Patel as the new FBI director, replacing Christopher Wray, who still has three years left on his 10 year term.
This is a big deal because Patel, like Trump, has vowed to use the FBI to go after political enemies.