Hello from CNN, I'm Joe Beck, with the five things you need to know for Monday, December 2nd.

President Joe Biden has pardoned his son. Hunter Biden was facing sentencing this month for federal tax and gun convictions.

But yesterday, his father signed a full and unconditional pardon that can't be taken back by

President-elect Donald Trump. It means Hunter Biden won't be sentenced for his crimes,

and it gives him clemency for any potential federal crimes that he may have committed

from January 1, 2014, until now. It's a huge reversal for President Biden, as he gets ready to leave

office. Take a listen to what he said after Hunter was found guilty earlier this year.

I am satisfied that I'm not going to do anything. I said I abide by the jury decision.

I will do that, and it will not pardon him.

Biden says he changed his mind because his son was, quote, selectively and unfairly prosecuted,

and said his political opponents were the instigators of the charges.

Trump's team issued a statement after the news was announced, claiming the, quote,

failed witch hunts against Trump have demonstrated a weaponized

American justice system. Meanwhile, Trump is once again getting bipartisan criticism for an

administration selection. The president-elect is planning to nominate firebrand loyalist

Cash Patel to serve as FBI director.

He describes himself as an enemy of the so-called Deep State, and if he gets the job,

he'd have the power to carry out Trump's threats to go after political opponents.

CNN's Elena Treen says some people close to Trump pushed for Patel.

They argue that he was likely the only person in their minds that they believed could really

disrupt the Federal Bureau of Investigations as much as they believed Patel could, as well

as root out the bias that Donald Trump believes, has really permeated the Bureau over recent years.

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