Hunter Biden reaches plea deal on gun, tax charges
Two misdemeanor tax charges and admission to a gun felony in deal
Hunter Biden has struck a deal with federal prosecutors to avoid prison by pleading guilty to two tax crimes and admitting to a gun charge that could be dismissed, court records released Tuesday show.
Under the deal, President Joe Biden’s son will plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges. Prosecutors also charged him with felony possession of a firearm while using illegal drugs, but that charge would be dismissed if he successfully completes a two-year probation.
The tax charges accuse Hunter Biden of not paying timely taxes in 2017-18.
As recently as last month, President Biden said his son "has done nothing wrong."
Hunter Biden's lawyer, Christopher Clark, claimed in a statement that he believes the revelation means "the five-year investigation into Hunter is resolved."
"Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life," Clark continued, adding that the President's son "looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward.”
CNN reported earlier Tuesday that Biden's Justice Department "has agreed to recommend to the judge... a sentence of probation" for his son's charges, according to sources.
The deal has sparked an influx of criticism from lawmakers and legal scholars alike. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, who's leading the probe into the Biden family, was one of many to dub it a "sweetheart deal" that puts DOJ's perceived favoritism on full display.
"Let's be clear: the Department of Justice’s charges against President Biden’s son Hunter reveal a two-tiered system of justice," Rep. Comer stated. "Hunter Biden is getting away with a slap on the wrist."
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called the plea agreement "pathetic," and George Washington University Law Professor Jonathan Turley determined it to be "an evasion of the more serious allegations facing Hunter Biden and the Biden family."
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