The backlash to President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, is going in the wrong direction. Criticism of parenting style has wound up charging the pardon system itself.

Hunter Biden is troubled. This condition is obvious in his countless drug, sex, and corruption scandals. Few were deceived by the President’s lies about such drama and the contents of his son’s laptop, and fewer bought the constant narrative that Biden would not pardon Hunter. It came as no surprise when Biden did pardon his son. Still, it seems that the only really reprehensible aspect was his lying about the intention for months — attacks otherwise are muddying the issue.