No special deal for Hunter Biden

 

 

Will face justice as everyone else does 

WILMINGTON, Del. — A plea deal struck by Hunter Biden for failing to pay his taxes appeared in jeopardy Wednesday after a disagreement arose about a separate gun charge.

It wasn't clear if a deal could still be reached on Wednesday, as lawyers huddled to see if a delay until early September would be needed. 

U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, appointed by Donald Trump, pressed about the terms of the deal that was struck with U.S. Attorney David Weiss of Delaware, another Trump appointee who was kept on by President Joe Biden to oversee the case.

There were questions about whether the gun charge was tied to the plea deal. 

Noreika asked if there were more serious charges that could still be brought and the prosecutors and Hunter Biden’s lawyer both said there were not.

Noreika later asked if the investigation was ongoing, to which Weiss responded that it was, but said he could not share any further details. 

In outlining the charges, Weiss’s office said in an earlier statement that “Hunter Biden received taxable income in excess of $1,500,000 annually in calendar years 2017 and 2018. Despite owing in excess of $100,000 in federal income taxes each year, he did not pay the income tax due for either year.” 

The original deal included that prosecutors would recommend probation for the tax violations, while a separate felony gun charge would be dropped if Biden met certain conditions laid out in court. The terms of Hunter Biden’s sentencing will be decided at a later date.  

Biden faced a separate gun charge, for illegally owning a Colt Cobra .38 Special handgun. The Justice Department, however, said he had reached a pretrial agreement that most likely means that, under certain conditions, the case may be wiped from his record. 

But during the trial, there was some confusion about the gun charge, prompting the judge to pause the proceedings so a resolution could be reached. 

It is the first time the Justice Department, which falls under the executive branch, has brought charges against the child of a sitting president. 

“I know Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life,” his lawyer Christopher Clark said last month. “He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward.”