Happening Now: House Democrats brief press under shadow of Biden pardon

House Democratic leadership is set to brief the press Wednesday morning after President Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter earlier this week rattled Capitol Hill. Many Democrats, along with their GOP colleagues, have questioned Biden over the decision, after he indicated several times on the campaign trail and since dropping his reelection bid that he would not interfere with his son’s legal cases. Their criticism, following significant election losses, casts the move as counterproductive to the party’s efforts to rebuild after the election. The briefing also comes a day after Senate Democrats reelected Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to serve as party leader in the upper chamber next session. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) was elevated to the third-ranking member of the leadership, replacing retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). The event is scheduled to begin at 10:45 a.m. EST.