Federal judge exits courtroom as plea deal hearing for Hunter Biden comes to a halt.
Federal Judge Temporarily Steps Down as Final Terms of Hunter Biden’s Plea Deal are Debated
A federal district judge in Delaware temporarily left the bench on Wednesday as attorneys engaged in a heated debate over the final terms of Hunter Biden’s plea deal agreement.
Hunter Biden, 53, and his legal team argued that the prearranged plea deal should be accepted in its entirety. The deal would require the president’s son to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax offenses and participate in a pretrial diversion for one felony gun offense. The agreement was arranged by United States Attorney David Weiss of Delaware.
Challenging Questions and Revealing Testimony
During the hearing, Hunter Biden opened up about his past struggles with drug and alcohol abuse, spanning over two decades. He stated that he has been sober since 2019. The judge then called for a recess to gather more information about the plea deal arrangement.
Without the plea deal, Hunter Biden could face up to 12 months in prison and a fine of $25,000 for each tax violation count, as well as a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail for the felony charge.
The charges against Hunter Biden stem from his willful neglect to pay income taxes in 2017 and 2018, resulting in owing over $100,000 for each tax period. The felony charge is related to an incident in 2018 when he lied on a gun application while attempting to make a purchase at a Delaware gun store.
A Landmark Case and Controversial Deal
In late June, Hunter Biden entered into a pretrial diversion agreement for the gun charge, which offers an alternative to prosecution and allows defendants to avoid prison time. This agreement was made with Weiss’s office.
U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, an appointee of former President Donald Trump with bipartisan support, is expected to approve the plea deal. However, due to the high-profile nature of the case, legal experts anticipate that she will thoroughly scrutinize the agreement during the hearing to ensure transparency.
If Noreika gives her approval, it will mark the end of a nearly five-year investigation into Hunter Biden’s taxes and foreign business dealings, which have been under intense scrutiny throughout his father’s presidency. Additionally, this will be the first time the Justice Department has brought charges against a sitting president’s child.
Republican lawmakers have criticized the plea agreement, labeling it a “sweetheart deal” and raising concerns about equal treatment under the law. In May, two IRS criminal investigators testified to the House Ways and Means Committee, supporting these claims by stating that Weiss was prevented from pursuing harsher charges against Hunter Biden in two jurisdictions and was denied special counsel status.
A Developing Story
Ways and Means chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) submitted an amicus brief ahead of the hearing, urging the judge to consider whistleblower testimony when deciding whether to approve the agreement. Hunter Biden’s legal team allegedly attempted to have the testimony removed from the docket, leading the judge to seal the docket and threaten attorney sanctions.
This is a developing story, and updates will be provided.
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