Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, has agreed to plead guilty to three federal charges, the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) said Tuesday via a court filing. He is expected to plead guilty to two federal misdemeanor counts of failing to pay his taxes and another charge tied to gun possession.
He will appear in a federal court in Delaware to plead guilty to the charges at a future date and will enter a probation agreement that – if violated – could result in further prosecution for possessing a handgun while intoxicated in 2018, a felony charge.
Two sources familiar with the agreement told NBC News on Tuesday that it includes a provision in which the U.S. attorney has agreed to recommend probation for Biden for his tax violations. In addition, legal experts have suggested that the tax and gun charges will most likely not result in any jail time for President Joe Biden’s son.
Quite the Deal
The plea deal will still be contingent on Hunter Biden remaining drug-free for 24 months, while he will be legally barred from owning a firearm in the future. The agreement must still be approved by a federal judge, The New York Times reported.
“With the announcement of two agreements between my client, Hunter Biden, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware, it is my understanding that the five-year investigation into Hunter is resolved,” Biden’s lawyer, Christopher Clark, said in a statement.
“Hunter will take responsibility for two instances of misdemeanor failure to file tax payments when due pursuant to a plea agreement,” Clark added. “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.”
End of the Investigations?
There has been speculation that this could end any further investigations into Hunter Biden’s business dealings, but it is likely that the Republican-controlled House of Representatives will continue its inquiries as to whether the younger Biden engaged in criminal conduct with individuals tied to China and with companies based in Ukraine and other countries.
As The New York Times also noted, the fact that this deal comes just two weeks after the DoJ indicted former President Donald Trump on charges that he risked exposing national security secrets, while the agency allowed the son of President Joe Biden to essentially “walk free” is likely to bring a torrent of criticism of bias directed at the Justice Department and FBI.
What Did Hunter Biden Do?
The federal charges were tied to Hunter Biden’s failure to meet filing deadlines for his 2017 and 2018 taxes, and whether he had improperly claimed $30,000 in deductions for business expenses.
In addition, Hunter Biden was accused of lying to the U.S. government in 2018 when he filled out a form to purchase a handgun. In response to a question on the form about drug use, the son of the president said he was not using drugs at the time. That later was proven not to be truthful.
Hunter Biden has had a number of personal issues.
He had been discharged from the United States Navy for testing positive for cocaine just months after receiving a direct commission in 2012, which required a special waiver. He also struggled with addiction to crack cocaine following the death of his brother Beau Biden in 2016 and later had an extramarital affair with his brother’s widow.
The plea deal will not be the end of all of Hunter Biden’s legal woes.
He was deposed in a child support case in Little Rock, Arkansas just last week, as he has sought to reduce the child support payments to former stripper Lunden Roberts, mother of a four-year-old girl fathered by Hunter in late 2017.
The Biden family at large, including President Joe Biden, has reportedly refused to acknowledge the child.
This is a developing story.
Author Experience and Expertise:
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
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