First son Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty Tuesday morning in Delaware federal court to weapons and false statement charges after a plea deal fell through over the summer.
Hunter, 53, pleaded not guilty to all three charges, including making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm, making a false statement regarding information required to be kept by a licensed federal firearms dealer, and unlawful possession of a firearm while addicted to a controlled substance. .
The first son, who walked into Wilmington federal court to face Magistrate Judge Christopher Burke with a prison-style buzz, was charged last month by special counsel David Weiss with lying about being addicted to cocaine when he bought a gun nearly five years ago.
The first son completed his drug test shortly after arriving at the courthouse and left after entering his plea around 10:25 a.m. Burke set a Nov. 3 deadline for any pretrial motions in the case.
Hunter Biden walked into Wilmington federal court shortly before 10 a.m.REUTERS
The indictment alleges Hunter bought a Colt Cobra revolver when he was abusing cocaine in 2018, which he later admitted in his 2021 memoir “Beautiful Things.”
His probation agreement requires him to obtain active employment, share in writing any plans for international travel, not own a firearm, not abuse alcohol or drugs, and submit to drug testing and substance abuse counseling if requested by his probation officer from the California District Center, according to the filing. court Tuesday.
The felony charge carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $750,000, though such a harsh sentence is unlikely to be meted out to non-violent first-time offenders.
Hunter was asked to appear in person after a judge denied his request to appear on Zoom from his home in California.
President Biden’s son was brought up on the crime after walking away from a plea deal this summer that would have given him probation for failing to pay more than $2 million in taxes.
Hunter Biden allegedly lied about being addicted to cocaine when he bought a gun nearly five years ago.REUTERS
Under the deal, Hunter would have pleaded guilty to the gun charge, but the deal fell through when a pair of IRS whistleblowers sounded the alarm about what they called a widespread cover-up in the feds’ investigation.
US District Judge Maryellen Noreika also asked federal prosecutors to acknowledge that a provision in the plea agreement appeared to give the first child unprecedented immunity for past crimes.
Prosecutors responded that there was no such guarantee from them, prompting defense attorney Chris Clark to declare the plea agreement “null and void.”
IRS Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley and IRS Special Agent Joseph Ziegler said their investigation was “moving slowly” and prevented investigators from taking certain steps – or asking questions that could lead to President Biden.
The mishandled investigation may have allowed Hunter to avoid more serious charges of money laundering, illegal foreign lobbying, and sex trafficking, according to evidence gathered by House Republicans and found on the first child’s abandoned laptop.
Hunter departs from the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building on October 3, 2023 in Wilmington, Delaware. Saquan Stimpson – CNHunter Biden’s request to appear on Zoom has been denied. Getty Images
In a series of disclosures made to the House Ways and Means Committee, Shapley and Ziegler claimed their investigation began in November 2018 by looking into “foreign-based amateur online pornography platforms.”
They found Hunter and his business partners received about $17.3 million through deals with foreign entities in Ukraine, Romania and China between 2014 and 2019 — with the first son earning $8.3 million.
In a shocking exchange, a July 30, 2017, WhatsApp message revealed by investigators showed Hunter Biden threatening an associate with ties to the Chinese government, saying he was “sitting here with my father” and would “hold a grudge forever” if they dealt with business. not full.
Within 10 days, payments that eventually totaled more than $4.8 million began flowing into accounts linked to Hunter and James Biden, according to past reports.
IRS tax investigators also alleged that Weiss in the Oct. 7 meeting. 2022, said he was “not the one making the decision” and was blocked from pursuing charges outside of Delaware by US Attorneys Matthew Graves in Washington, DC, and E. Martin Estrada in Los Angeles.
The 53-year-old is expected to plead not guilty to the weapons and false statement charges.
Other IRS officials have since confirmed key details from the meeting, while FBI officials who were present have testified that they could not verify Shapley’s account, of which IRS agents took handwritten notes at the time.
The House Oversight Committee separately obtained thousands of bank records — and subpoenaed for more — that found $24 million was transferred to Biden-related accounts from foreign companies and foreigners in Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Romania and China between 2014 and 2019 .
Hunter’s former business partner Devon Archer also testified to the House panel that the first son put his father on speakerphone at least 20 times with business associates in an effort to promote the Biden “brand.”
The former President appointed Weiss as Delaware’s top prosecutor in 2017 at the recommendation of the state’s Democratic senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper after serving as acting US attorney under President Barack Obama.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has given conflicting testimony to Congress about the scope of Weiss’ authority, maintaining Delaware prosecutors have “full authority” to bring charges against Hunter while also saying US attorneys in other jurisdictions “could refuse to cooperate” with him.
The charges came after a plea deal brokered over the summer fell through. AP
On August 11, Garland elevated Weiss to special counsel status after Hunter’s plea deal collapsed and the impartiality of Delaware prosecutors was questioned by congressional Republicans.
Weiss is expected to testify soon before the House Judiciary Committee, along with Graves, Estrada, and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart Goldberg, all of whom have transcribed interviews scheduled for this month.
The case moved forward as members of the House of Representatives launched an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, alleging Democrats benefited from his son’s overseas lobbying activities while he served as vice president.
White House Counsel’s Office spokesman Ian Sams said last week that Republicans have “no evidence of wrongdoing” on the part of the president and are using “unbelievable personal attacks on him and his family.”
Hunter’s defense lawyer, Abbe Lowell, has also said that Hunter Biden has no business with his father and that any discussion with the eldest son’s business partner is “small talk”.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
