DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Palus Politicus Hunter Biden to plead guilty to federal tax charges, strikes deal on gun charge

Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, will plead guilty to two tax misdemeanors and struck a deal with federal prosecutors regarding a felony gun charge, the Justice Department said Tuesday in court filings.

The plea deal will have immediate reverberations in the 2024 presidential election.

The charges were detailed in a criminal filing in US District Court in Delaware, where the US Attorney David Weiss, a Donald Trump appointee, has been conducting the investigation that at one time explored allegations of money laundering, foreign lobbying and other potential charges.

Hunter Biden’s attorney, Christopher Clark, said in a statement that the deal with federal prosecutors will “resolve” the Justice Department’s long-running criminal probe into the president’s son.

“Hunter will take responsibility for two instances of misdemeanor failure to file tax payments when due pursuant to a plea agreement,” Clark said. “A firearm charge, which will be subject to a pretrial diversion agreement and will not be the subject of the plea agreement, will also be filed by the Government. 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 a brief statement, the White House said the Bidens “love their son.”

“The President and First Lady love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life. We will have no further comment,” said White House spokesman Ian Sams.

Trump criticized the Hunter Biden plea deal on Truth Social.

‘Wow! The corrupt Biden DOJ just cleared up hundreds of years of criminal liability by giving Hunter Biden a mere “traffic ticket.” Our system is BROKEN!’

Negotiations to reach a plea deal intensified in recent weeks. Hunter Biden’s legal team sought a meeting with the Justice Department in April, which Weiss attended, and where Hunter Biden’s lawyers gave a presentation detailing why they believe Hunter Biden shouldn’t be charged. Part of their argument included that Hunter Biden paid back taxes owed, including penalties.

A spokesman for Weiss declined to comment.

Firearms investigation and tax charges

Prosecutors had been examining a 2018 incident in which a firearm owned by Hunter Biden ended up tossed by his then-girlfriend into a dumpster in Wilmington, a person briefed on the matter said. Hunter Biden described in media interviews in 2021 that he was addicted to drugs, which raised the possibility he broke federal law when he bought the firearm.

Federal law prohibits firearms purchases by anyone who uses or is addicted to illegal drugs and CNN previously reported that federal prosecutors were weighing possible charges connected to making a false statement related to the gun purchase.

Hunter Biden previously told associates he has paid outstanding tax bills and, according to public records, more than $450,000 in state liens in Washington, DC, were lifted in 2020 – an indication that those liabilities were likely paid off.

Investigators, however, continued to scrutinize the source of the funds that Hunter Biden used to pay his tax bills. Emails to Hunter Biden that were authenticated by a forensic expert for CNN show that in 2018 and 2019, Biden’s debts piled up, even as he received repeated warnings from his bank, his accountant and others.

He was repeatedly warned about his tax obligations, according to the emails, but his attorney told CNN in July 2022 that those years were difficult times for Hunter Biden, given his addiction issues. Clark has said that his client has now “fully paid” his IRS tax debts.

Meanwhile, the Republican-controlled House has been scrutinizing Hunter Biden’s financial dealings and exploring the Justice Department’s handling of the investigation as well as any involvement by other Biden family members in overseas deals.

Lawyers for an IRS whistleblower who claims that interference exists in the investigation met with Democratic and Republican congressional investigators to lay the groundwork for what their client hopes to share with Congress, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The IRS whistleblower claimed to have information that “contradicts sworn testimony to Congress by a senior political appointee,” according to a letter from the whistleblower’s attorney. That senior political appointee was Garland, people familiar with the matter told CNN.

One whistleblower who worked for the FBI also has complained to Republican lawmakers that the Justice Department wouldn’t allow agents to take more aggressive investigative steps in the Hunter Biden probe.

Republicans in the House threatened to hold FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress until he agreed to let them to review a document that summarized claims from an informant who alleged that Joe Biden traded policy actions in exchange for millions of dollars in payments to his family. The informant’s claims were not corroborated by investigators.

Personal struggles

Hunter Biden’s legal issues come against the backdrop of the personal troubles he’s faced, many of which he addressed in his 2021 memoir. Biden has been open about struggles with addiction to alcohol and drugs. His 24-year marriage ended in a 2017 divorce and his ex-wife has accused him of spending extravagantly on liquor and strip clubs. In 2017, he also admitted an relationship with the widow of his late brother Beau. Hunter Biden remarried in 2019 and shares a child with his wife, Melissa Cohen.

As Trump tried to make Hunter Biden a focus of the 2020 campaign, Joe Biden said that he was proud of the strides his son had made to deal with addiction. He issued a similar defense in an interview with CNN last year, telling Jake Tapper that he was “proud” of his son for being straightforward about his battle with drug addiction.

“This is a kid who got – not a kid, he’s a grown man – he got hooked on, like many families have had happen, hooked on drugs. He’s overcome that. He’s established a new life,” Joe Biden said.

After he was elected, Joe Biden vowed to stay out of the Justice Department’s prosecutorial decision-making.

“I’m not going to be telling them what they have to do and don’t have to do. I’m not going to be saying, go prosecute A, B or C,” Joe Biden, then the president-elect, told Tapper in December 2020.

“That’s not the role – it’s not my Justice Department. It’s the people’s Justice Department.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland told a Senate panel in 2022 that there will “not be interference” in the DOJ’s probe into Hunter Biden, and said that the president “is committed not to interfere, not only in that investigation but any other kind of investigation.”

Other investigations into Hunter Biden

Among the matters under scrutiny in the Justice Department’s probe was Hunter Biden’s efforts, after his father left the vice presidency in 2017, to secure a deal with CEFC China Energy to invest in US energy projects, according to documents released by Republicans from two Senate committees.

The deal ultimately fell through, according to an account Hunter Biden gave in a 2019 New Yorker profile, and the company’s executive was later detained by Chinese authorities amid allegations of corruption.

Additionally, Hunter Biden briefly was the lawyer for the head of an organization backed by CEFC who was later convicted on bribery allegations linked to CEFC.

During the Obama administration, other Hunter Biden business ventures in China raised concerns among White House officials, according to The New Yorker, which reported an equity stake Hunter Biden took in an investment fund involving US and Chinese partners.

Federal investigators also previously examined the Ukraine-linked lobbying work by Hunter Biden as well. Of specific interest was the work the lobbying firm Blue Star Strategies did with Burisma, an energy company whose board Hunter Biden served on from 2014-2019, earning as much as $50,000 a month.

Joe Biden has said that his son’s Ukraine-related dealings had no bearing on his approach to the country as vice president, when he spearheaded Ukraine anti-corruption initiatives for the United States. And State Department officials who were critical of Hunter Biden’s Ukraine activities nonetheless told lawmakers that it did not improperly influence policy-making, according to transcripts of Senate testimony.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/20/politics/hunter-biden/index.html

As per usual, I'm all for anyone who is guilty of a crime or crimes be held accountable through the legal process. Irrespective of party.

Lol, after a 5 year investigation by a Trump appointed council, he gets two misdemeanor counts for failing to file taxes? He had already payed the back taxes.

THIS IS GOOD FOR BOYTH SIDES!

Shows GOPers the feds are fair, clears the way to charge and hammer all of Trump’s kids. Lock them up, lock them all up!

they got ‘em and what about the second amendment brigade? Where are they on this?

You think it's done?

can you elaborate on what you are trying to say?

Yes, I do. And I also think the only reason that the DOJ brought criminal charges is because Trump is so crooked and GOPers won’t acknowledge or condemn him. The DOJ wanted to SEEM impartial. I don’t see how you can be impartial with a life long con man like trump vs. Hunter the crackhead. There simply is no equivalence.

There was a gun charge under a law that one court has determined unconstitutional. So that law is being challenged by the 2A crowd. If there was anything else to any of this, these charges wouldn’t misdemeanors. But hell, the house republicans will hold 10 investigations and hearings (See her emails), to try and keep it in the news through the election cycle.

It likely is done. Of course, guns be horrible and people who shouldn't have them (people who are prohibited from buying them) get caught so let's slap that wrist and pass more laws against guns. The same old people will fall for the same old narrative though.

I don't believe you should lose your rights just because you imbibe/toke it up. That said, currently lying on the 4473 is supposed to be a federal felony with serious consequences, not just a finger shake and don't do it anymore. This is yet another reason why I think new laws are crap, don't enforce what you have you can't have any more.

I agree, confiscate all guns.

I left that orange for the butt clinched responses. I don’t believe in confiscation. I also don’t believe in open carry in business, education, healthcare, or residential areas. Open carry should require a license with a gun safety certification prerequisite, the same for concealed. Plus I think there should be a need based requirement, so goofy ass bubba can’t pull a gun out of his belt and rob your ass without earning a high felony count. Needs would be like transporting large amounts of cash or high end inventory. It could be ok for school safety officers, security guards, etc. Anywhere the potential to need a gun drastically increases from the median threat or minimum acceptable risk level, however it might be phrased, this is what I think we need. Limit the gun nuts to the range and the woods. Hell, grant them official US regional militia status, and call ‘em all up for the next big ground war. Call them first, they can go be badass cannon fodder. I heard about a street that qualifies.

eh. he could have picked anything to plead guilty to.

I had an old friend who stole a judge's Porsche and totaled it and racked up a bunch of other offenses while he was attempting to evade the police. He had 99 years' worth of offenses.

He ended up pleading guilty to grand theft and something else really off the wall like vandalism/destruction of public property. He ended up only getting sentenced to 5 years with 5 years of probation and I don't think he was allowed to drive a car for 10 years.

You run point on it. You being the ultimate tough guy.

Shout out to Brietbart for making hunter Biden seem like a top G with the movie. Now he got charges like a drug lord, and probably gonna have even more women chasing after him.

Good job, right wingers.

If not, when should it be? Let's look at a few of the actual facts that are known to be true despite the rhetoric and accusations being made.

Claim; There's more to the Hunter Biden thing.

Fact; Hunter Biden has been under investigation since 2018. That's five years.

Claim; The DOJ has been weaponized

Fact; The investigator who conducted the Hunter Biden investigation Is a trump appointee. As part of that investigation he looked into Biden's foreign business dealings including Burisma. He looked at all of Hunter's financial documents as well.

This isn't the appropriate thread in which to look at the background of Jack Smith who trump claims to "hate him". But he has investigated and prosecuted high level democrats during his career in the past. For him this certainly isn't a partisan issue as trump and his cronies would like to make it out to be.

So the answer to your question as to whether this is over? No it isn't. Because even after five years of having a trump appointee investigate Hunter fully and reaching his final conclusion, the GOP won't allow it to die. They will continue to throw allegations and make false claims. I mean this is about politics.

So how many more years do you propose this continue?

Hell, they’re still whining about her emails… This should wrap up by the time my grandkids have grandkids.

Party of law and order my ass.

Ditto, several posters got it right. Hold ALL accountable. Our legal system mainly works. Which country is better? To the individual person and the society as a whole? NONE. Huge difference between Bidens and Trump- Bidens work with and own up to mistakes....verse the Donald- he won, he's smarter than everyone, I don't make mistakes- the Secret documents/ SCI stuff packed with my mementos, shirts, shoes, etc.- all good.....damn, we elected the idiot to the Presidency. I never voted for him- never will. Anyone but Trump.

It took them this long to get to this point, and a slap on the wrist is all they have to show for it.

I'm not holding my breath.

Its taken 7 years of investigating Trump. and no penalty for him - not even a slap on the wrist

The bidens are on the clock now. trump may get nailed. but the continuing investigation of the bidens is worth watching. It's not over for the bidens, just as it's not over for trump.

As should be the case.

On the other hand when you say Trump hasn't even had a slap on the wrist -

Mueller investigated, and unlike John Duhram whose report found little new and had one unsuccessful prosecution - Mueller had eight people pleaded guilty to or been convicted of felonies, including five Trump associates and campaign officials. Mueller also spelled out 11 ways Trump obstructed justice only to have Barr try to change the narrative, but the report is clear in what it says and in answer to Barr's claim that it exhonerated Trump, Muleer has been crystal clear in saying that is not the case.

Trump has been indicted TWICE. He has three serious ongoing investigations/indictments.

Trump has been found liable for battery and defamation in a civil court.

Not sure I'd summarize that as not even a slap on the wrist.

Yeah, you know, having yourself surrounded by people that now have felony convictions while working for you and having indictments in two cases while still facing very possible indictments in at least two other cases is nothing. Just ask them.

The saddest TRUTH- we, the American people, these families- Trumps and Bidens- these are the best we've got to represent us. I'd say we are going like Rome. Sad.

Don’t forget the hundreds of MAGA voters that caught cases and convictions after doing what Trump wanted on J6. You’d have to be half nuts to still like Trump for anything, let alone POTUS. I never knew there was such a big fascination with chaos and hate in the American underbelly before Trump. He exposed that and now there is no rewind button, no going back. Maybe it’s not fascination, it could just be fascism.

No, mostly its unhinged, triggered libards obessessing about what they cant control. Yall parrot and dog whistle to each other over and over. Good little sheeples.

This is meant for OCD

Exactly what are you accusing the Bidens of and what proof do you have? Because thus far, I see nothing but accusations with no back up other than what some folks WANT to see happen. Question: is this going to be another Pizza Shop Brothel story like the one about Hillary? I keep hearing dummies talk about the Bidan Crime Family? What did they do? or better yet, what are the accused of doing?

Easy….They beat trump in a fixed election. Proof. trump says so.

It's only a beginning. The move was to serve as another attempt to cover up the mess in front of us.

The syndicate has begun to crack. Unlike the Titan which imploded in an instant, turning those people to mush, rest their souls, this will take a little longer, but it will crush the Biden crime family.

Racketeering at the highest levels of government.

I can hear your goose stepping from here bro.

Godwin is proud.

Trump lost because he didn't win the Plurality vote that was cast by the Electoral College.

You forgot your T in libtard. I had no idea that criminal charges and actual future criminal cases being investigated were dog whistles. I don't think you did either. The bill has come due and yet all you can do is continue to blame the liberals.

Based on what Peen? Witnesses they can't provide and "disappeared"? A supposed tape that someone told an FBI informant they had but there's no evidence of its actual existence? I think they said they hadn't heard from that guy in three years.

Even the guy who said he was told that never saw or heard a tape. Man, when you climb down a rabbit hole you climb to the very bottom of it.

Not according to trump and his brigade.

Meant for me? Thanks for your typical reptard response. Knew I could count on your to dumb down the conversation and add absolutely zero to it. You never fail..

Slightly humerous that the guy who likes to try to debate the minutia and nit-pick as if he's the smartest guy in the room can't hit the right "reply" ... but I digress.