Hunter Biden is set to plead guilty on Wednesday to two federal misdemeanors for not paying taxes on time in 2017 and 2018. He is likewise due to enter a deal with prosecutors on his felony gun charge. The hearing will begin at 10 am (ET) at the federal courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware.
Why Did Hunter Biden Strike a Plea Deal?
In June 2023, the first son struck a deal with federal prosecutors in which he will plead guilty to failing to pay taxes for two years and will admit to unlawfully buying a gun. The deal, which allows Hunter to avoid prison time, was announced by David Weiss, the US attorney for Delaware, on June 20.
According to some reports, prosecutors will recommend two years of "probation and diversion" for the younger Biden. Even though prosecutors recommend that the first son does not serve any jail time, a judge will determine Hunter's sentence.
The deal stems from a years-long investigation into Hunter's tax affairs, as the latter is well known for receiving hefty bonuses from foreign tycoons, including Ukrainian oligarch Mykola Zlochevsky, an owner of gas firm Burisma. To complicate matters further, Hunter cashed in on lucrative contracts during his father's vice presidency.
According to the US press, a federal probe into whether Hunter had properly paid his taxes started in the Barack Obama era. In 2018, the tax investigation extended to a broader federal criminal probe.
Hunter Biden's Gun Case
While fighting with serious drug addiction, Hunter Biden bought a gun but made a false statement on a federal form that he was not a drug addict. The problem emerged when his sister-in-law found the gun and threw it out in an outdoor trash container, fearing that Hunter could harm himself. The weapon was later discovered and reported to police.
As per the US press, Hunter will admit that he indeed made a false statement, but instead of pleading guilty to this he will enter a pretrial diversion agreement. A diversion program is a form of sentencing that helps remedy behavior leading to the arrest.
Who's Presiding?
US District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika, who was appointed by then-President Donald Trump, will preside over the first son's hearing on Wednesday. She is expected to sign off the deal.
Why is the GOP Dissatisfied With DoJ's Deal?
US Republican lawmakers cite political interference and kid gloves treatment of the first son by the DoJ. In April 2023, IRS agent-turned-whistleblower Gary Shapley claimed that the Justice Department meddled in the IRS probe to shield Hunter.
In particular, DoJ officials let Hunter avoid two years of penalties for tax fraud from 2013 and 2014, in which he declared $400,000 of income from Burisma as a loan instead of payment for serving on its board, per the whistleblower. According to another IRS whistleblower, Joseph Ziegler, Hunter started manipulating taxes as early as two decades ago.
For his part, House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer said that the DoJ turned a blind eye to Hunter's alleged violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) while de facto acting on behalf of foreign interests. Per Comer, his committee file contains "between six and 10 criminal referrals" with the Justice Department related to Hunter once the congressional probe is completed.
How is the GOP Trying to Block Hunter's Plea?
On July 25, Representative Jason Smith of Missouri, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee filed a brief in Federal District Court in Wilmington saying the plea agreement for the president’s son had been tainted by political interference. The Heritage Foundation, a famous conservative, think tank filed another brief with regard to the matter.
Previously, Rep. Smith urged US Attorney General Merrick Garland and Weiss to include materials based on the testimony by the IRS officials into the court file, but to no avail. The DoJ did not respond to the House GOP request for the same action claiming in a Monday letter to the US Congress that it wants to "protect law enforcement work from even the perception of political interference, including from Congress."
What's Behind the Timing?
Hunter Biden struck a plea deal with the Justice Department after his father, President Joe Biden, announced his re-election bid in April 2023. The plea deal critics refer to the fact that the previous scandal concerning Hunter Biden and his infamous "laptop from hell" occurred during his father's 2020 presidential campaign and was quickly suppressed by the US intelligence community, mainstream media, and Silicon Valley giants as "Russian disinformation."
Later, US spies, Big Tech and Big Media admitted that the laptop was genuine. As per conservatives, the US media is deliberately ignoring bombshells by the IRS whistleblowers to protect the older Biden and his 2024 presidential ambition.
Influence Peddling?
"This guy did start young," US journalist Angie Wong told Sputnik's Critical Hour podcast.
"I mean, he was probably in his late thirties getting into this game of, well, selling what exactly? The Biden family does not produce anything. (...) All these clients are paying them millions of dollars. So, you know, we have to conclude that this is just influence peddling. And they caught a whiff for sure. And Hunter's been doing this for quite some time, even when his Dad was senator and [then] VP. So, you know, the latest round is that local reporters found these emails that were going through it and saw that he was doing this back in 2010, that Hunter was selling this idea of green energy."
"Now, exactly what he did, we don't know. We just know that he was meeting with people from these companies. And then later on, they became political donors, for example. I think one was even trying to get appointed to a particular office. So, you know, there's a lot of that happening. But again, does any of this surprise you? (…) There are a lot of senators, sons and daughters and nephews and nieces that are going around kind of, you know, having meetings and talking with, you know, various companies. Doesn't that just sound very familiar? And is it, you know, at what point does it become legal or ethical? Where is that line?" the American journalist asked rhetorically.