While President Joe Biden was trying to protect his son Hunter from jail time and a criminal record when he pardoned him for all crimes he might have committed in the last 10 years, it may be possible that he did so to his own detriment.

If Hunter Biden can't be charged with any crimes, he may not be able to plead the Fifth Amendment, which deals with self-incrimination.

That means he could be compelled to testify before Congress about his part in all the payouts his father allegedly got while vice president.

Most assuredly, Joe Biden was not thinking about this when he pardoned Hunter.

Still obstructing

Republicans are already looking at how they can use the pardon against the Biden family.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said he would be speaking to attorney general nominee Pam Bondi about the issue.

"We still have information that we've requested that we never received," Comer said. The White House "is still to this day obstructing rightful evidence that we should have obtained."

U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika terminated the proceedings in the gun case against Hunter Biden, in which he had been convicted of three gun felonies but had not yet been sentenced.

Judge Mark Scarsi has not yet decided whether to terminate or dismiss tax evasion charges against Hunter Biden.

Doesn't include state charges

Pretty much Hunter Biden's only saving grace in the whole thing is that his pardon only covers federal charges, not state ones.

He could probably still plead the fifth on a lot of things because they could be used against him in state cases.

The president would need to pardon his entire family including himself to avoid the possibility of anyone testifying about their schemes.

That is, if Republicans don't decide to let it all go when Biden leaves office.

That could be a big mistake, leaving the door wide open for more politicians to abuse their power in the same way to enrich themselves.