Judge rejects Hunter Biden bid to appear in court virtually for gun case hearing

A federal judge on Wednesday rejected a bid from Hunter Biden to appear a court hearing virtually as part of a federal prosecution over gun charges.

"In the end, the Court agrees with both Defendant … and the Government … that Defendant should not receive special treatment in this matter – absent some unusual circumstance, he should be treated just as would any other defendant in our Court," wrote Magistrate Judge Christopher J. Burke, according to CNN. "Any other defendant would be required to attend his or her initial appearance in person. So too here."

The younger Biden is slated to appear in court next Tuesday, where he will be arraigned. Special counsel David Weiss, who has indicted the first son last week for allegedly falsifying a gun application, had objected to his request.

Biden faces three counts connected to the gun application. Two relate to his alleged declaration that he was not using drugs when he purchased a firearm while the third stems from his alleged possession of a firearm while a drug user.

The first son's attorneys have indicted he will plead not guilty to all three counts.

Weiss brought the charges against the first son after being named special counsel. That appointment came amid scrutiny of a plea deal that the first son had negotiated with prosecutors in Weiss's U.S. Attorney office to address tax charges from a years-long investigation.  That deal fell apart, however, after the judge questioned some provisions within it.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.