Hunter Biden agrees to plea deal in Justice Department probe : NPR
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Updated June 20, 202310:46 AM ET Originally published June 20, 20239:40 AM ET
Carrie Johnson
Hunter Biden is seen after a White House ceremony on July 7, 2022.
Susan Walsh/AP
Hunter Biden, the surviving son of the president, has been charged with federal offenses related to his taxes and business dealings, the U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday.
The younger Biden has agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor offenses related to his filing of federal income taxes. Federal authorities also charged him with a felony firearm offense, for which he agreed to enter a pretrial diversion agreement that allows him to avoid prosecution.
According to David Weiss, the Delaware U.S. attorney, Biden did not pay federal income taxes for either 2017 or 2018, despite owing more than $100,000 in taxes each year.
Additionally, in October 2018 Biden possessed a firearm despite knowing he was an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance, Weiss' office said.
If convicted, Hunter Biden faces a maximum penalty of 12 months in prison on each of the tax charges and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the firearm charge, but Weiss' office noted that actual sentences determined by judges are typically less than the maximums.
Weiss' office added that the investigation is ongoing, though Chris Clark, Biden's attorney, said in a statement: "With the announcement of two agreements between my client, Hunter Biden, and the Unites States Attorney's Office for the District of Delaware, it is my understanding that the five-year investigation into Hunter is resolved."
Clark added: "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."
The White House declined comment on the charges.
"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 Ian Sams, a White House spokesman, in a statement.
The move follows a lengthy investigation by Weiss in Delaware, where the Biden family has established a political dynasty. Joe Biden served as a U.S. senator for 36 years, before he became vice president in 2009, and his late son Beau worked as attorney general there. (Beau died in 2015.)
Weiss, the top prosecutor in the state, is one of just two U.S. attorneys who stayed on the job at the end of the Trump years, to continue to oversee the Hunter Biden probe. Republicans in Congress had pressed the Justice Department to name a special prosecutor in the case, but federal authorities resisted that idea, arguing that Weiss and his team had been working smoothly and free from political interference.
A grand jury in Delaware has been hearing from witnesses close to Hunter Biden for months. Biden's legal team had said publicly that he faced investigation on his tax practices and other business interests overseas.
At the same time of some of the conduct at issue in the investigation, Hunter Biden struggled with alcohol and drug addictions and a messy personal life.
"Everybody has trauma," Hunter Biden told the New Yorker magazine in 2019. "There's addiction in every family. I was in that darkness. I was in that tunnel—it's a never-ending tunnel. You don't get rid of it. You figure out how to deal with it."
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So here's that. I'm sure we'll hear from all the partisans, wack jobs and propaganda slingers about their pet conspiracy theory.
I pretty much don't care past the simple news value. Hunter Biden isn't a political figure - I didn't vote for him and if he dropped off the edge of the flat earth tomorrow I'd most likely never know until some partisan talking head made up some conspiracy theory about it.
So he made a deal. He will be sentenced hopefully.
Not going to happen. Slap on the wrist, maybe a fine, and perhaps, probation. That's the sad part. If it were you or me or any multitude of others, who knows. They are also using the "first time offender" moniker from what I understand.
You don't know.
But if you were a first time offender your sentence would probably be pretty light
Justice is rarely ever blind.
Sure. Minorities have been crying out for it for decades. Glad to have you onboard.
On all the minor issues. What is left out of all this are the crimes that matter: The influence peddling of Joe Biden and what countries like China believed they were buying.
I don't get it. taking bribes, doing drugs, and humping strippers? why didn't he just join the freedom caucus and run for a seat in the house from some goober state, like florida? /s
sounds like a plan to me
It would be a slap on the wrist for anybody, not just a Biden.
In fact nobody really gets charged for this lame shit.
But I'm sure that far right wingers hope for the death penalty.
What's wrong with more laws as long as they are unenforced?
Exactly, placate the mindless.
Bullshit..............
I don't think it's a conspiracy theory that had you or I defaulted on our taxes to the tune of $100,000 plus that the government wouldn't be turning over every rock we were ever close to looking for undeclared income. On yeah, lying on a Federal Firearms Application, no big deal.
Let's not forget that he and what's-her-name got rid of that illegally owned gun by throwing it into a dumpster very close to school property.
I paid a lawyer $5K several years ago to get a deferment on $50K worth of federal taxes. It was nothing more than a bunch of paperwork.
Did he get a sweetheart deal? Probably, it happens a lot with affluent people. Do I like it? Not at all.
Re: Hunter's slap on the wrist for tax evasion -- do you remember Trump's CFO, Allen Weisselberg? In Jan 2023, he was sentenced to 5 months in notorious, filthy Rikers Island jail for tax evasion.
Don't get me wrong ... ALL tax evasion is wrong, IMO. But a slap on the wrist with no jail time for Hunter and a 5 month sentence at Riker's for a Trump associate aren't equal treatment under the law.
Do you have a crystal ball? How do you know what kind of sentence Biden will get? You don't and suggesting that all he will get is a slap on the wrist is mere speculation on your part
And 5 months for tax evasion doesn't seem like a lot of time. At least he was in Rikers where his family could visit him and not sent upstate to Danemora or however it's spelled
I don't need one.
Try again, if you wish, but don't expect another reply.
It hasn't happened yet. Your paragraph merely suggests guidelines in sentencing. Has he faced a judge yet?
Thanks for understanding that my comment 1.2.4 holds evidence in plain sight (if one understands what conditionals and question marks mean).
I have a lot of compassion for addicts and their families and have worked with them as a volunteer. But, a line needs to be drawn between compassion and enabling. It seems that Hunter, now age 53, never experienced what's trivially called "rock bottom".
He has been the victim of not only drug addiction but also a victim of his father's influence with the US Navy that made him an officer with a serious drug addiction. Due to his continued drug use, he was thrown out of the Navy.
Now that his father is president, he'll possibly receive another enabling Get Out of Jail Card for misdemeanors and felonies that would never be given to Americans of lesser status. Enabling and codependency isn't what we teach parents and families of addicts.
I thought you weren't going to reply in this thread any more.
I believe that was referring to replies to you.
but I see she still had to have the last word. And her comment to Texan is an off handed way of telling me I'm stupid and to fuck off
Do you want to continue defending her?
How many current gun owners do you think checked "No" they do not do drugs on the legal form to purchase a gun who in fact had and continued to do drugs?
Plenty. Especially in states where cannabis is legal and guns are popular...think Colorado
I would bet it is over 50% in Oklahoma...
They only have medical in OK like in AR. People here have been hesitant to get their MMJ card because they don;t want to give up their guns
Who is "her"???
The author of comment
I never got a definitive answer on whether this person is female, male, non binary, or any other
The ATF just put out a public notice in MN where cannabis was just legalized...
Biden was investigated in Delware, Trump associated tried and convicted in New York.
Delaware loves their criminal Bidens, New Yorkers hate Trump simply because he beat their queen Hillary.
There is the difference.
Is that a form of whataboutism?
For Weisselberg it was a plea deal that involved the following charges.
He pleaded guilty last August to 15 felonies in a deal with prosecutors. As part of the deal, he was required to testify truthfully at the trial of the Trump Organization , pay $2 million in back taxes, interest and penalties, and waive any right to appeal
Weisselberg admitted he should have paid taxes on off-the-books compensation, totaling roughly $200,000 in one year, which included a luxury Manhattan apartment overlooking the H[udson River, two Mercedes Benz car leases, parking, utilities, furniture and private school tuition for his grandchildren.
Judge Juan Merchan on Tuesday said had he not already promised a five-month sentence to Weisselberg, he would have issued a stiffer sentence “much greater''.
Weisselberg actually served 100 days of the five month sentence and non of it in GP.
Actually charges for lying does not seem to be strongly enforced.
Florida for example:
Every blessed one of them...
Should all gun owners who have smoked weed or done drugs also be charged and forced to surrender their firearms?
Are you for reducing the amount of guns and gun owners in this country?
Yes
I couldn't own guns without access to weed. helping unamerican trash to stfu permanently at less than $0.50 each? that's a fraction of the cost of a bottle of water. the temptation would be too great... /s
Smoking pot does not a drug addict make. Always check that box NO.
Back in my day lots of cops were returning Nam vets.
Have smoked and joked with a few while we were all armed.
In my state one doesn't even need a concealed carry permit.
P.S. Pot does not make one violent. Just the opposite actually.
Exactly, firearm purchase applications are just silly.
What does smoking pot have to do with Hunter Biden lying on the Federal Form. My state also has Constitutional carry which I don't really like.
The DOJ says they are still investigating. Why did they say that? So they could refuse to answer House Oversite inquiries.
Look back and you'll find that I and other predicted this plea deal. Two things that are about as minor as anything in the Biden history could be.
Now Joe thinks he can campaign without a worry for now on. Sadly, he is right.
Wanna talk about weaponizing government to go after political rivals? What a fucking joke these people have made of themselves and their lemming sycophants.
I have a hard time caring what Hunter Biden does. Maybe I should care, but I just don't. There are so many other things and people that are more impactful on regular people. I can't help feeling that the outsized interest in this guy is purely political. Reminds me of Billy Carter.
I don’t think that Billy made so much foreign money.
It has always been about Joe.
Me too.
It is.
Ivanka has Hunter beat in that department.
What does that have to do with Billy Carter?
I found Billy Carter amusing. Still have an unopened six pack of Billy Beer.
Sure didn't think less of Jimmy for his brother's escapades.
Please don't drink it, that would be some nasty ass beer.
It is a collectors item in my wine cellar. Folk see it and smile.
Bought a case back then and it didn't taste that bad.
Beer doesn't improve with age but have been offered hundreds for that single remaining six pack.
Omg that’s awesome.
It will remain in my wine cellar until the price is right.
They're going to keep turning over rocks until they find something to nail the Big Guy with.
If you mean Republicans in the House. I agree.
If you mean the FBI, DOJ, and IRS- they are extensions of the Democrat Party. They will obstruct the Republicans at every turn- as Wray has already done by trying to withhold an unclassified document. Whistleblowers are being threatened and intimidated at IRS, DOJ, and FBI as well.
Didn't the Democrats want felony charge for those who even mentioned a whilstleblowers name?
The recent whistleblowers are just far right wing lying fascists.
They were fired from the FBI for just cause.
Of course they are....
If they're saying things liberals don't want to hear....they MUST be lying....
So breaking the law for insurgents is now a left wing talking point?
They committed crimes. Pretty sure that the FBI doesn't like that.
The House Circus Ringleader has already had a talk with the press. So, yeah, the distraction from lack of governing continues.
Would that be Large Marge?
I hear Madame LaMarge has taken up knitting.
McCarthy is the Speaker. Large Marge just likes to run her mouth.
Ah. Thanks. Got confused when some body said something about Madame Speaker.
You could refer to McCarthy as Madame Speaker when Trump keeps McCarthy's balls in his pocket.
lol
The one who called for "decorum" while she was pontificating?
She should have been a stand-up comedian.... Oh wait.
Curious as to how the most prolific liar on the planet can still keep anybodys balls in their pocket.
Unfortunately, they lack the resources that the Executive branch has to bring resources to bear to prevent a political opponent from running again.
Fact Check: Clip of Biden Saying He'll 'Stop Trump' Taking Power (newsweek.com)
Here's hoping neither is on the ticket.
I think they are going to turn their attention to those who have protected Hunter and Joe.
Actually there is nothing to protect the Bidens from other than ongoing far right wing propaganda and innuendo. Unless of course it is also Putin propaganda.
Interesting how there are a few here on NT who echo every Putin propaganda point. One might almost think that the most "American" sounding names here are actually Russian bots.
That is about the only explanation for why they're so determined to undermine all our institutions and basic freedoms...
Shame that Perrie won't let us call them out on it.
Wonder why I even bother showing up here anymore.
I have one question that I've not heard from anybody (talking heads, etc) about this. How will this impact his child support case now? From what I remember, his lawyers turned over some financial paperwork but had parts redacted so that not all the financial info was available. With him pleading guilty on this, I would think that the baby mama will want to use this.
He might not get to see a reduced child support payment.
Probably not well, but better than if he were in prison.
I hope they raise the amount... significantly.
Somewhere he already produced $1.2 million in restitution, lates fees and penalties to the IRS,
or the plea deal would not be happening.
Everyone that wants or needs a gun badly enough, lies on the applications, ( and mortgage apps and annual taxes )
Exactly, little white lies for gun ownership, no one really cares.
Everyone of the mass murderers did it. Sometimes only days or hours before they killed complete strangers.
The system doesn't work any more ( if it ever did).
So you think that Biden should be prosecuted for a maximum penalty?
Wherever did you get that idea?
What Do Most Mass Shooters Have in Common? They Bought …
200 Mass Shootings So Far This Year; Most With Legal Guns
These Mass Shooters All Bought Their Guns Legally - Katie Couric …
10 deadliest US shootings of past decade all involved legally …
Mass shootings in the U.S.: legality of weapons 2023 | Statista
About 166,000 results
That was too easy Drinker,
Ah yes, the study based on 167 mass shootings over the last 50 years is surely an accurate representation. .
It's funny. The same source will also claim there's been 200 mass shooting this year alone...
It says nothing about "Everyone that wants or needs a gun badly enough, lies on the applications"
Every one of those mass killers lied on their applications by virtue of the crimes they eventually committed.
Zero exceptions.
Which question are you referring to:
The FFA is overwhelmed and has been for decades.
If a felony doesn't immediately show up, one gets the firearm.
Actually, he did....by 75% on the same day. It was a great day for Hunter.
Well, so much for main-stream media. They didn't cover that from what I could find but I did find some other news sites that did cover it. You're right, he had a really good day.
Do you know if the outcome on the kid being able to use the Biden name? The articles I find only talk about the reduction in child support.
And a bad day for far right wing fascists who hate anything Biden.
[removed]
Oh to the contrary. As of today June 22nd, we have learned a lot more!
The Democrats favorite deadbeat dad got a slap on the wrist……shocker.