Get the latest updates on Hunter Biden delivered straight to your inbox with our free email service, myFT Daily Digest. We’ll send you a daily roundup of the latest news every morning.
Hunter Biden has entered a plea of not guilty to charges of tax evasion and illegal possession of a firearm. The judge expressed doubts about approving his plea agreement with prosecutors during a court hearing on Wednesday.
Last month, Joe Biden’s son agreed to plead guilty to two counts of wilful failure to pay federal income tax. Court filings revealed that he failed to pay over $100,000 in income tax on an annual income exceeding $1.5 million in 2017 and 2018.
He also agreed to participate in a “pretrial diversion agreement” for a separate charge related to the possession of a firearm. Typically, defendants in such cases are redirected to community services.
The initial plea deal brought relief to Hunter Biden and supporters of the president. His personal and legal issues have cast a shadow on his father’s presidency, and he has been the subject of ongoing investigations into his overseas business dealings by the justice department and Republican lawmakers.
However, the judge raised concerns about the terms of the deal during the hearing, particularly regarding the firearm offence. Additionally, an ongoing investigation into potential violations of US foreign lobbying laws posed a threat to the agreement.
Hunter Biden ultimately pleaded not guilty to the tax and gun charges, and his lawyers and prosecutors will have 30 days to provide further briefings to the judge to justify the approval of a plea agreement.
While a lawyer for Hunter Biden previously stated that the agreements resolved a five-year probe, the Department of Justice clarified that the investigation is still ongoing.
Neither Hunter Biden’s lawyer nor the Department of Justice has commented on the matter as of now.
Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden did not accompany Hunter Biden to the courthouse as this is considered a personal matter. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized that Hunter Biden is a private citizen, and the case was handled independently by a prosecutor appointed by former president Donald Trump.
The relationship between Joe Biden and his son has repeatedly subjected the president to controversy and criticism. This unexpected twist in Hunter Biden’s legal saga further complicates his father’s re-election campaign in 2024.
Kevin McCarthy, the Republican Speaker of the House, hinted at the possibility of launching an impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden over Hunter Biden’s overseas business dealings.
Republicans on Capitol Hill have conducted several hearings regarding Hunter Biden this year. They have also released interview transcripts from two whistleblowers who alleged that the Department of Justice hindered the investigation into Hunter Biden’s tax affairs.
The Biden administration has strongly refuted these claims. David Weiss, the attorney appointed by Trump to lead the criminal probe into Hunter Biden, has offered to testify at a public congressional hearing to address any misrepresentations.
Nevertheless, Hunter Biden’s legal troubles are likely to remain a prominent aspect of Republicans’ political messaging. They argue that there is a “two-tier” system of justice, allowing the current president’s son to strike a plea deal and avoid prison, while Trump faces potential jail time for various criminal charges related to his own business dealings and mishandling of classified documents. Trump is also the subject of a grand jury investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
A recent Morning Consult poll indicated that 46% of Republican voters consider investigating Hunter Biden’s finances a “top priority” for Congress.
Additional reporting by Felicia Schwartz
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
