Hunter Biden could reportedly face up to 25 years in prison and a $750,000 fine following three gun-related charges by Special Counsel David Weiss.
Weiss, who was nominated by two Democrat senators and gave Hunter Biden a sweetheart plea deal before it fell apart, indicted Hunter on three gun charges. Notably, Hunter Biden was not charged with tax or Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) violations. The gun charges are unlikely to be the last, ABC News reported.
Hunter’s lawyer claimed Friday that the charges against his client will be dismissed before trial, which would negate the 25-year punishment and fine, Fox News reported:
Biden is facing three criminal counts, including making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm, which carries a maximum of up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, the documents show.
The second count, a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federal firearms licensed dealer, can garner up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
The third count, possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance, can land up to a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release, according to the documents.
“As expected, prosecutors filed charges today that they deemed were not warranted just six weeks ago following a five-year investigation into this case,” Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement. “The evidence in this matter has not changed in the last six weeks, but the law has, and so has MAGA Republicans’ improper and partisan interference in this process.”
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Former President Donald Trump countered Lowell’s statement, claiming Hunter Biden was charged with violations that do not implicate President Joe Biden.
“This, the gun charge, is the only crime that Hunter Biden committed that does not implicate Crooked Joe Biden. One down, Eleven to go!” he said. “The Democrats, with all of their horrible, very unfair, and mostly illegal Witch Hunts, have started a process that is very dangerous for our Country.”
The gun charges come after Hunter’s plea deal fell apart upon judicial scrutiny. Hunter Biden’s deal with Weiss included tax violations but no FARA violations. During the plea hearing, Weiss admitted to the judge that his probe included an ongoing investigation into potential FARA violations, causing the judge to question the agreement.
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.
