'Slap on the Wrist': Hunter Biden Agrees to Plead 'Guilty' on Federal Tax Charges
President Biden's second son, Hunter is set to plead guilty to two federal tax crimes and admit guilt for a felony gun charge. In exchange, he's expected to avoid jail time.
The charges are part of a plea deal Hunter Biden has reached with prosecutors from the Justice Department in an investigation first opened in 2018 during the Trump administration.
The DOJ charged the president's son with unlawful possession of a firearm in Delaware while "knowing that he was an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance."
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Hunter Biden, 53, is also charged with failure to pay more than $100,000 in federal income taxes on more than $1.5 million he earned in 2017 and 2018, including money he got from business dealings in Ukraine and China. Those taxes have reportedly been fully paid now.
Christopher Clark, a lawyer for the younger Biden, said in a statement that it was his understanding that the five-year investigation had now been resolved. “I know Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life,” Clark said.
Former President Trump blasted the "corrupt" plea deal from the Biden administration, writing on his social media platform Truth Social that Hunter Biden was given "a mere 'traffic ticket'." Trump stated:
"Wow! The corrupt Biden DOJ just cleared up hundreds of years of criminal liability by giving Hunter Biden a mere 'traffic ticket.' Our system is BROKEN!"
Two people familiar with the investigation told the Associated Press the Justice Department would recommend probation for the tax charges, meaning Hunter Biden will not face time behind bars. But the decision to go along with any deal is up to the judge.
The gun charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, but the Justice Department said Hunter Biden had reached a pretrial agreement. Full details were not immediately disclosed.
BREAKING: Hunter Biden has been charged with two tax misdemeanors and illegal possession of a firearm, pleading guilty to the first two and entering into a pre-trial diversion agreement on the latter, which will undoubtedly keep him out of jail. pic.twitter.com/tetPLIXQZl
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) June 20, 2023
The Justice Department investigation burst into public view in December 2020, one month after the presidential election, when Hunter Biden revealed that he had received a subpoena as part of the department’s scrutiny of his taxes. The subpoena sought information on the younger Biden’s business dealings with a number of entities, including Burisma, a Ukraine gas company on whose board he sat.
Hunter Biden said in a statement at the time that he was “confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors.”
Just a 'Slap on the Wrist'?
House Speak Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) pointed to a double standard in the Biden administration's efforts to target Trump while letting Hunter Biden off easy. "It continues to show the two-tier system in America. If you are the president's leading political opponent, the DOJ tries to literally put you in jail and give you prison time. If you are the president's son, you get a sweetheart deal," McCarthy said.
U.S. Rep. James Comer (R-KY), the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, also reacted to the news, saying the younger Biden is "getting away with a slap on the wrist."
"What we've uncovered would suggest money laundering, would suggest tax evasion, would suggest racketeering, many serious crimes," Comer continued.
Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee called the charges "low-hanging fruit" and vowed not to let "full accountability fall by the wayside."
Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, on the other hand, called the five-year investigation originating in his home state "thorough" and said he was encouraged "that Hunter is taking responsibility for his actions, paying the taxes that he owes, and preparing to move on with his life."
Biden 'Pay-to-Play' Scandal Not Addressed
Beyond Hunter's tax issues, Joe Biden has also faced questions about possible influence-peddling related to his son’s business dealings.
And not everyone agrees that Hunter's bigger scandals have been fully addressed yet, especially the one that's been called a global "pay-to-play" web that allegedly involves Joe Biden and multiple members of the family.
READ House GOP Uncovers Evidence of Biden 'Global Web' of 'Money Laundering'; FBI, IRS Obstruction
"It is worth noting that this investigation and the preceding charges do not deal with anything involving the ongoing Biden bribery scandal. There's no indication the DOJ and FBI are even looking into that matter, though. Only Republicans in Congress are actively investigating," wrote one RedState.com contributor in an op-ed published Tuesday.
Trump Answers Questions About His Case
Meanwhile, President Trump explained to Fox News why he didn't hand over boxes of materials to authorities when asked.
"Why not just hand them over then?" Bret Baier of Fox News asked President Trump.
"Because I had boxes, I want to go through the boxes and get all my personal things out. I don't want to hand that over," Trump claimed.
The former president's unprecedented trial in the classified documents case is tentatively set to begin on August 14.
