Hunter Biden alters plea after initial agreement collapses in court.
Hunter Biden Pleads Not Guilty After Plea Deal Falls Apart in Court
Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, pleaded not guilty to tax evasion and illegal gun possession charges on Wednesday in federal court. This comes after the judge overseeing the case rejected the plea agreement reached between Biden and federal prosecutors in June.
U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika raised concerns about the blanket immunity from future prosecution that the agreement would provide. She questioned why the deal had been filed under a provision that did not give her the authority to reject it.
The judge’s skepticism was evident from the beginning. When she asked the prosecutor if there was any precedent for the proposed deal, he replied, ”No, your honor.” Noreika demanded changes to the agreement, clarifying her role and limiting the broad immunity offered to Biden on his business dealings.
CNN’s Kara Scannell reported that the judge stated she could not accept the plea agreement as it was structured.
BREAKING
HUNTER BIDEN PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES AFTER PLEA DEAL IS JEOPARDIZED pic.twitter.com/HHpLbp9zWK
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 26, 2023
The judge also questioned the constitutionality of her involvement in deciding whether Biden should be charged later if he violated the terms of the gun diversion plea agreement.
Last month, U.S. Attorney David Weiss recommended probation for Biden for failing to pay over $100,000 in taxes in 2017 and 2018.
The maximum punishment for the misdemeanor tax evasion charges is a $25,000 fine and one year in prison. The pretrial diversion agreement would have resolved the charge of gun possession by a drug user or addict. Under the deal, Biden would have had to remain drug-free for two years and give up his right to own a gun.
Fox News correspondent Griff Jenkins reported that the case may now proceed to trial.
BREAKING: Judge DENIES Hunter Biden plea deal, pleads ‘not guilty’ pic.twitter.com/ET54tXbw9M
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 26, 2023
The New York Times noted that Judge Noreika was nominated by former President Donald Trump in 2017 with the support of Delaware’s two Democratic senators, Chris Coons and Tom Carper.
The post Hunter Biden Changes Plea After His Original Sweetheart Deal Falls Apart in Court appeared first on The Western Journal.
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