Hunter Biden’s Indictment Raises Concerns in Future Campaign Efforts
President Biden holds his grandson, Beau Jr., while talking to his son, Hunter Biden, on the South Portico of the White House on July 4, 2022 (Andrew McKeough/AKSM Photography).
The decision to file criminal charges against Biden arose after the collapse of a plea deal in July 2023 that would have resolved the long-running investigation without him serving prison time.
Article by Victoria Newsome, Junior Election Correspondent
WILMINGTON, Del. - Son of President Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, was charged by federal prosecutors on Sept. 14th. The official charges against Biden go as follows: The possible indictment has politicians worried that the potential for a trial could clash with his father’s 2024 re-election campaign.
The investigation, which began in late 2018, is led by the U.S. attorney, David Weiss, in Delaware and is said by people familiar with the inquiry to have examined potential criminal violations of tax, money laundering laws, and foreign dealings. In addition, he was dishonest on a federal government form that he was told to complete when purchasing a .38 handgun in Delaware.
Sources say that Biden could face up to 25 years in prison and $750,00 in fines per the New York Times. However, that is unlikely for first-time offenders who are nonviolent and have not had any previous accusations of using a weapon in another crime.
Biden’s deep-rooted history of drug abuse and addiction has been a difficult journey, especially with the passing of his brother, Beau Biden in 2015. However, he’s been open to the public about his decades-long road to recovery from psychological and economic hardships.
According to two individuals familiar with Biden’s actions, they state that he has been sober recently and has been having regular pulse checks with a federal probation officer.
At age 53, Biden publicly acknowledges his previous addiction to alcohol and crack cocaine and his efforts in and out of rehab.
His foreign business dealings and fraudulent finances have led to questions about President Biden’s influence. These previous issues have been the building blocks to House Republicans' claims to create a case for impeaching President Biden. Prosecutors under U.S. Attorney for Weiss (Delaware), newly named counsel in the case, said they expect an indictment before Sept. 29.
Last Tuesday, Speaker Kevin McCarthy stated that the House would proceed with a formal impeachment investigation. These charges are nowhere comparable to the ones pushed by former President Donald Trump along with other congressional Republicans. They are constantly scrambling to find a loophole in the president’s son and family, in an attempt to gain an upper hand in the next presidential race.
The defense team for Biden has told Justice Department representatives that the allegation would ultimately be dropped because a number of Supreme Court and appellate court rulings have called into question the legality of the federal government's restrictions on gun transactions.
The decision to file criminal charges against Biden arose after the collapse of a plea deal in July 2023 that would have resolved the long-running investigation without him serving prison time.
“Mr. Biden also will enter a plea of not guilty, and there is no reason why he cannot utter those two words by videoconference,” Abbe Lowell, Biden’s lawyer, wrote in a two-page letter to Judge Christopher J. Burke.
As of September 19th, 2022, Hunter Biden plans to plead not guilty to three federal gun charges during an initial court appearance. Biden’s team is requesting to hold the hearing by videoconference instead of appearing in federal court in Wilmington, Del., his lawyer said in a filing on Tuesday. There has been no date set for Biden’s arraignment.