By Chrissy M. Thornton
Special to the AFRO
Before leaving office, former President Joe Biden, a man who has spoken openly about the anguish of watching his son, Hunter Biden, endure targeted scrutiny and criminal charges, did not shy away from protecting his family. While Hunter’s challenges have been well-documented and politically exploited, Biden’s actions have sought to shield his son from the worst excesses of public and legal persecution. He even pre-emptively pardoned additional family members, fearful of undue scrutiny and political targeting from the new administration. Yet, when confronted with Marilyn Mosby, Baltimore’s former State’s Attorney who endured the very same disproportionate and predatory prosecution, the president’s compassion and sense of justice were glaringly absent.
Marilyn Mosby became a beacon of hope and transformation for many in a city still wrestling with systemic racism and inequity. Her rise was marked by courageous actions, including charging the officers involved in Freddie Gray’s death and her relentless pursuit of justice for Black communities. Yet, her legacy has been marred.
It is a centuries-old familiar narrative that positions Black women as expendable, no matter their contributions or sacrifices. For speaking out against systemic injustice and demanding accountability, Mosby has been vilified. Her personal and professional life has been dissected, and her efforts to serve her community have been overshadowed by allegations that many recognize as punishment for her boldness. The penalty for challenging the status quo, particularly as a Black woman, has proven to be devastatingly high.
Mosby faced charges of perjury and making false statements on loan applications, accusing her of falsely claiming financial hardship to access her retirement funds. The funds were used to purchase properties in Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mosby has steadfastly maintained her innocence, citing the CARES Act, which allowed early withdrawal from retirement savings due to the pandemic.
What stands out in her case is the absence of harm. She used her own money to make these transactions, and no public funds were misused or individuals defrauded. Despite this, federal prosecutors pursued her with a vigor that was disproportionate to the alleged offense. In stark contrast, Hunter Biden, whose struggles with addiction and involvement in influence-peddling have drawn public scrutiny and who was charged with tax evasion and illegally obtaining a firearm, benefited from a presidential pardon from his father.
Despite widespread public support – including almost 100,000 signatures petitioning for her pardon and backing from civil rights organizations such as NAACP, National Action Network, and Associated Black Charities – for Marilyn Mosby, President Biden chose silence instead of exoneration. This absence of action underscores a troubling reality: the systemic disregard for Black women in positions of power and the entrenchment of colonial nepotism and privilege in America.
While Hunter Biden, shielded by his wealth and proximity to power, has been protected from full accountability, Mosby, who challenged entrenched systems of racial and economic injustice, has been left to fend for herself. Biden had an opportunity to make a profound statement, one that could have restored faith in a justice system that too often fails the very people it should protect. Instead, Biden, who campaigned on a platform of unity and equity, missed an opportunity to reinforce his commitment to racial justice and gender equity by failing to pardon Mosby. By failing to act, he chose to perpetuate a system that silences those who dare to stand up for justice.
This discrepancy highlights a historical pattern: Black women in positions of power often face harsher scrutiny, higher expectations and little to no forgiveness compared to their White or male counterparts. From former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Black women who challenge systemic inequities often face legal challenges, smear campaigns, and public vilification.
This double standard is not new. It is the same system that allows wealthy White individuals to evade punishment for financial crimes while disproportionately incarcerating Black Americans for lesser offenses. It is the same system that weaponizes the legal apparatus against those who seek to dismantle it. Marilyn Mosby’s case is part of a larger, systemic pattern of injustice that disproportionately affects Black women, especially those who challenge the status quo. It serves as a stark reminder that while structural racism was created by White male power, it will not be dismantled by those same hands.
As we mark the tenth anniversary of Freddie Gray’s death, we must ask ourselves: What are we willing to do to protect those who fight for justice? Baltimore, and the nation should reflect on how they have allowed Marilyn Mosby to become a casualty of systemic injustice.
This moment calls for more than reflection—it demands action.
Like Mosby, I know what it means to stand at the intersection of racism and sexism. I know what it means to work tirelessly for equity while carrying the weight of systemic resistance. I know the price Black women pay for demanding better—for our communities, for our children, and for ourselves.
Mosby’s story is a reminder of the work that remains unfinished in the fight for equity. It is a call to stand with those who challenge the status quo, even when it is uncomfortable or politically inconvenient. And it is a plea to ensure that the next generation of Black women leaders will not have to face the same battles alone.
History will judge how we have responded to this moment and every moment that follows. I believe our former President is standing on the wrong side of it. I sure won’t.
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