Hunter Biden
Dear Commons Community,
Hunter Biden has struck a deal with federal prosecutors, agreeing to plead guilty for failing to pay his income taxes and reaching a pretrial agreement on a felony charge of illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user. The plea deal likely puts an end to the Justice Department’s multiyear investigation into President Biden’s 52-year-old second son, who as part of the agreement will receive probation and avoid jail time. As reported by various media outlets.
“With the announcement of two agreements between my client, Hunter Biden, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware, it is my understanding that the five-year investigation into Hunter is resolved,” Chris Clark, attorney for Hunter Biden, said in a statement. “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. He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward.”
In December 2020, the U.S. attorney’s office in Delaware announced it was investigating Hunter Biden for possible income tax violations.
The investigation was led by Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss, who was appointed by then-President Donald Trump in 2018.
Hunter Biden was the target of regular attacks by Trump during the 2020 campaign. The former president and his Republican allies criticized Hunter Biden’s position on the board of a Ukrainian energy company while Joe Biden was vice president, suggesting it had corruptly influenced U.S. foreign policy. Hunter Biden has acknowledged that he had “poor judgment” in taking the role
According to court filings made public on Tuesday, Hunter Biden has agreed to plead guilty to two federal tax offenses, both misdemeanors, for willfully failing to pay his federal income taxes in 2017 and 2018. He has also entered into a pretrial agreement to the felony charge that he possessed a handgun in October 2018 despite knowing that he was a drug user.
Hunter Biden has acknowledged struggling with addiction following the 2015 death of his brother, Beau Biden.
He has also since fully repaid back taxes and fines, including $2 million he reportedly paid to the federal government last year.
The White House issued a brief statement on Tuesday morning following the report of the deal.
“The President and First Lady love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life,” the statement read. “We will have no further comment.”
The president has largely avoided weighing in publicly on his son’s case.
“I love him,” Biden said last month following a report that the Department of Justice was on the verge of charging Hunter Biden. “He’s on the straight and narrow, and he has been for a couple years now. And I’m just so proud of him.”
While the legal case against Hunter Biden may soon be resolved, the political attacks will undoubtedly continue, as Trump and other Republican hopefuls try to use the episode to shine an unflattering spotlight on the president, his family and the Justice Department.
Congressional Republicans slammed the plea deal and vowed to forge ahead with investigations into the Bidens in the GOP-led House.
Tony
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