The legal matter of Hunter Biden took an unexpected twist when he pleaded guilty to nine federal tax counts after prosecutors denied a special plea deal allowing him to maintain his innocence. This development occurred just as jury selection was about to begin in the tax trial on Thursday, nearly bringing an end to years of scrutiny of President Joe Biden’s son. Throughout the case, there have been claims by Republicans of favorable treatment and assertions from defense lawyers that political pressure influenced prosecutors when two indictments were issued following the collapse of a previous plea deal.
Hunter Biden will now await sentencing for both his June conviction for lying about his drug use on a federal form to purchase a gun, which he possessed for 11 days, and the tax case he admitted to on Thursday. The legal journey leading to this surprise plea involved a collapsed agreement where Hunter Biden had initially agreed to plead guilty to a negotiated misdemeanor tax charge, but the deal fell through last year due to questions raised by a federal judge in Delaware.
After failed attempts by Hunter Biden’s attorneys to dismiss the gun charges, a jury in Delaware quickly convicted him on the gun charges in June following compelling testimony from prosecutors about his drug use and lifestyle choices. Subsequently, the focus shifted to the tax charges in California, alleging that Hunter Biden evaded over $1.4 million in taxes while living a lavish life. Despite President Joe Biden dropping his reelection bid, arguments between prosecutors and defense attorneys persisted over evidence for the California trial, indicating a potential rehash of personal details.
Shortly before jury questioning was to commence, Hunter Biden’s attorneys proposed an Alford plea, but prosecutors opposed it, claiming Hunter Biden was guilty. In the end, Hunter Biden decided to plead guilty to all nine tax charges without any reduction or sentencing recommendations from prosecutors. He expressed in a statement that he did not want to subject his family to further pain and embarrassment. Hunter Biden will now face sentencing for both cases, with potential significant sentences in both Delaware and California. President Biden’s spokesperson reiterated that there were no plans for a pardon or sentence commutation.
