A federal judge in Delaware has refused to dismiss a federal gun case against Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden. The judge rejected Biden’s claims that he is being prosecuted for political reasons and other arguments. This ruling means that Biden could potentially face trial in the case as early as June, which could coincide with his father’s reelection campaign. The case charges Biden with lying about his drug use in October 2018 on a form to buy a gun that he kept for about 11 days. His lawyers had argued that the case was politically motivated and had challenged the appointment of the Delaware U.S. Attorney as special counsel.
Despite his plea of not guilty, Biden has acknowledged struggling with addiction to crack cocaine during the 2018 period in question. His lawyers argue that he did not break the law and that another nonviolent, first-time offender would not have been charged in a similar situation. The investigation had appeared to be concluding with a plea deal last year, but it fell apart after a judge raised concerns. Under the proposed deal, Biden would have received two years’ probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor tax charges and would have avoided prosecution on the gun charge if he stayed out of trouble.
Biden’s attorneys believe that political pressure led to his indictment, with Trump and other Republicans criticizing the plea deal. However, prosecutors argue that the evidence against him is overwhelming, including cocaine residue found in the pouch where he stored his gun. The judge ruled that there was no concrete evidence to support the claim that political pressure influenced the decision to indict Biden. The defense also claimed that the case should be dismissed because the diversion agreement from the failed plea deal was still valid, but the judge refuted this argument, stating that the probation office never signed to approve the agreement.
In addition to the federal gun case, Hunter Biden is also facing tax counts in Los Angeles, where he is accused of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes over three years while living an “extravagant lifestyle” during his period of drug use. The judge overseeing the Los Angeles case denied eight motions to dismiss the charges earlier this month. Biden’s legal team indicated that they will appeal these rulings, and the trial for the tax charges is also scheduled to begin in June. These legal challenges come at a critical time for Hunter Biden, as his father is facing reelection and the family’s legal troubles are under intense scrutiny.
