In yet another unexpected plot twist in the ever-evolving case against Hunter Biden, the first son’s plea deal fell apart late afternoon today. The younger Biden pleaded “not guilty” as federal prosecutors confirmed Hunter is still under federal investigation for tax evasion and illegal possession of a firearm.
The president’s son was expected to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax, as part of plea deal to avoid jail time on a felony gun charge.
However, Judge Maryellen Noreika, a Trump-appointed US district judge for Delaware, did not accept the plea agreement, questioning the constitutionality – specifically the diversion clause and the immunity Hunter Biden would receive.
The judge expressed concerns with the structure of the agreement, lamenting the deal put “form over substance,” deferred the plea deal and requested additional briefings from both parties in the coming weeks before determining the next steps.
Judge Noreika specifically took issue with the fact that the defense was trying to give Hunter immunity from any charges that would come up in the future.
Judge Noreika confronted the prosecutors asking if Hunter was currently under investigation. They admitted he was under active investigation but would not answer specifically what for.
Noreika also asked if the government could potentially bring a charge related to the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), to which the prosecution replied yes.
Noreika acknowledged that her probing threw “a little bit of a curveball” into the proceeding, likely bringing a smile to Republican faces everywhere.
Reaction from Republicans
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy weighed in on the news from the Delaware courthouse. “There shouldn’t be two justice systems in America, and hopefully today that’s what is being done,” McCarthy said.
The Speaker continued, “So now is the window to show that we have equal justice, and that’s the real question … is it going to be fair as you treat every other American? That will be the question,” as he left the House floor.
James Comer, the Republican representative from Kentucky and House Oversight Committee also commented on the judge’s decision saying, “What we’re seeing today is that the Biden family is under a whole lot more investigative scrutiny than what the media has reported,” Comer told Fox News Digital from outside the Capitol.
“I think that you’re seeing our investigation that’s shined a light on the many wrongdoings of the Biden family has picked up a lot of credibility today, because now we see that there are a lot of crimes that this family’s committed and that played out in court today.”
Comer said he hopes the news coming out of Delaware will give House Republicans “a lot more credibility with a skeptical media.” I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you, James.
White House (Non) Response
Once again, the queen of dismissal, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre brushed off the turn of events in the Biden case stating, “I don’t have anything to share. I would refer you to Hunter’s representative, I would refer you to Department of Justice, I don’t have anything to share beyond on what I shared at the top of this briefing.”
At the top of the briefing, Jean-Pierre stated, “Hunter Biden is a private citizen and this was a personal matter for him. As we have said the President, the First Lady, they love their son and they support him as he continues to rebuild his life.”
Hunter seems less concerned with rebuilding his life than he does seeking out special privileges and protections from his father’s office. Judge Noreika urged the President’s son to, “actively seek employment,” abstain from drugs or alcohol, submit to random drug testing and not possess a firearm as conditions for staying out of jail.
The Secretary also didn’t miss the opportunity to, yet again, point out that Hunter’s case was handled “independently, as all of you know, by the Justice Department under the leadership of a prosecutor appointed by the former president, President Trump.”
That prosecutor, U.S. Attorney for Delaware David Weiss, has come under increasing scrutiny as Weiss seems to have walked back his story.
Whistleblower testimony confirms Weiss’s original statements that claim he was denied special counsel status as he attempted to bring charges against Hunter Biden outside Delaware.
However, in the two letters that Jim Jordan, Chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, suggested showed a shift, Weiss maintained he has “never been denied the authority to bring charges in any jurisdiction.”
In a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on Monday, the Justice Department (DOJ) said Weiss is willing to testify this fall.
One thing is for sure, something shady is going on, and Weiss isn’t the only one being shifty.
Jennifer Galardi is the politics and culture editor for 19fortyfive.com. She has a Master’s in Public Policy from Pepperdine University and produces and hosts the podcast Connection with conversations that address health, culture, politics and policy. In a previous life, she wrote for publications in the health, fitness, and nutrition space. In addition, her pieces have been published in the Epoch Times and Pepperdine Policy Review. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
From 19FortyFive
The Second American Civil War Has Begun
