More Dirty Details of Hunter Biden’s Laptop Could Be Revealed in Lawsuits: You may know that Hunter Biden is involved in an investigation against him for alleged tax transgressions and problems with a federal gun background check form he improperly filled out. What is covered less by the media are two lawsuits related to his infamous laptop that will put the president’s son through a discovery and deposition process that could reveal more embarrassing secrets about the computer’s content.
This could be material that could perhaps ensnare President Joe Biden. Here is what we know:
Here Is Some Historical Context
To recount the laptop story, a computer repair shop owner in Delaware named John Paul Mac Isaac came into possession of Hunter’s device in April 2019. The computer was supposed to be fixed but Hunter never came to pick it up. Mac Isaac found potentially incriminating evidence on the hard drive and sent the MacBook Pro to the FBI and later a copy of its contents to the Trump campaign.
Rudy Giuliani eventually came to possess it. Then the Trump advisor gave the files from the hard drive to the New York Post and the newspaper began an investigation that culminated in an exclusive article. This was suppressed by social media companies because they believed the laptop had been Russian disinformation. Supporters of Donald Trump thought that the laptop story could have resulted in fewer people voting for Joe Biden.
Did Hunter Defame Computer Repair Shop Owner?
Now Mac Isaac has a defamation lawsuit he filed against Hunter Biden in January. Mac Isaac accuses Hunter of refusing to admit the laptop was his. Biden has instead contended that Mac Isaac stole it or hacked the information illegally. Mac Isaac’s attorney said that his client lost his business because of Hunter’s words against him. The lawsuit stated that Hunter knowingly gave media interviews that damaged Mac Isaac’s reputation.
Hunter has since counter-sued Mac Isaac for violating his right to privacy and “unlawfully” discovering and sharing Hunter’s files on the laptop. “This failed dirty political trick directly resulted in the exposure, exploitation, and manipulation of Mr. Biden’s private and personal information,” Biden’s attorney wrote. “Mr. Mac Isaac’s intentional, reckless, and unlawful conduct allowed for hundreds of gigabytes of Mr. Biden’s personal data, without any discretion, to be circulated around the Internet.”
Hunter May Not Enjoy the Discovery Process
The problem for Hunter and his father is that there will be a process called discovery in these cases in which both sides can interview each other and request information and documents. Mac Isaac’s attorney is liable to call for potentially embarrassing records and testimony from Hunter that could implicate the president too.
Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz told the Post that “Discovery is very broad. It would include emails, texts with his father, and potentially all the contents of [Hunter’s] computer, even that which hasn’t yet been revealed. So, it’s a very risky decision to get involved in litigation when you might have things to hide.”
Going on Offense Could Be Hazardous for Hunter
This legal strategy is a gamble for Hunter Biden. He is first admitting that the laptop is his after claiming that it was not for at least two years. He is open to more photos, emails, and texts to come out that could implicate him further in the criminal investigations against him. And there could be emails that reveal his mysterious payments from a Chinese company that the U.S. House Oversight Committee is investigating.
Mac Isaac’s defamation lawsuit is not as strong as he thinks. Hunter will declare that his comments were not malicious and were part of free speech in media interviews. Hunter’s lawyers will say that it is not his fault that Mac Isaac’s business had to close and that he is not responsible for any monetary damages.
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However, the Biden legal team could find themselves in a legal situation worse that what it faced with Mac Isaac’s original defamation lawsuit. Mac Isaac’s lawyer is sure to give any salacious details to the Post and other media outlets. They could also send evidence to the Congressional committee or to the FBI if it pertains to tax avoidance or the improper firearm purchase.
Hunter Biden is likely to be tangled up in the courts for months if not years and is likely to embarrass or even implicate his father. He may end up dropping his countersuit when he finds out what the discovery process looks like. Hunter is not likely to look forward to being deposed either. He will be under oath and the truth may not set him free.
Author Expertise and Experience:
Serving as 19FortyFive’s Defense and National Security Editor, Dr. Brent M. Eastwood is the author of Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S. Army Infantry officer. You can follow him on Twitter @BMEastwood. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and Foreign Policy/ International Relations.
