By Allan Lengel
Hunter Biden, son of the president, was convicted in a Delaware federal court Tuesday on three felony gun charges. He’s the first child of a sitting president to be convicted of a crime.
Federal prosecutors charged that Hunter Biden lied in a gun purchase application by claiming he was not addicted to or using illegal drugs and unlawfully possessed that gun for 11 days as a drug user.
Last year, the defense had hammered out a deal that called for Biden to plead guilty to two tax misdemeanor counts and avert prosecution on the gun charge by enrolling in a diversion program. But a judge rejected the plea.
Some observers argued that the tax charges should have been felonies, but many in the legal community said the gun diversion was the right approach considering Biden did not use the gun in the commission of a crime.
Hunter Biden still faces six felony and three misdemeanor counts involving $1.4 million in owed taxes, which have since been paid. The trial begins later this summer in California.
The case has been surrounded by politics.
House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky) quickly issued a statement after the verdict: “Hunter Biden’s sweetheart plea deal was smoked out after scrutiny by a federal judge. Today’s verdict is a step toward accountability but until the Department of Justice investigates everyone involved in the Bidens’ corrupt influence peddling schemes that generated over $18 million in foreign payments to the Biden family, it will be clear department officials continue to cover for the Big Guy, Joe Biden.”
Comer has been leading a campaign against President Joe Biden, saying he’s entangled in corruption with the family. But to date Comer has unearthed no solid evidence to back his claims.
President Biden, who has been careful not to meddle in the case, and says he won’t issue a pardon, said in a statement:
“As I said last week, I am the President, but I am also a Dad. Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today. So many families who have had loved ones battle addiction understand the feeling of pride seeing someone you love come out the other side and be so strong and resilient in recovery.
“As I also said last week, I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal. Jill and I will always be there for Hunter and the rest of our family with our love and support. Nothing will ever change that.”
