Hunter Biden arrived at the Delaware courthouse this morning, accompanied by his wife, as his federal gun crime trial gets under way. Jury selection will begin today. The case, historic for being the first time a sitting president’s child has faced trial, could have significant implications for President Biden’s re-election campaign, CNN, Fox News and NBC News are all reporting.
Charges and Potential Penalties
Biden, 54, is facing three felony charges related to the illegal purchase and possession of a firearm while he was allegedly abusing drugs. The charges stem from an October 2018 incident when Biden purchased a gun and later had it discarded by his girlfriend due to concerns over his mental health. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, though as a first-time offender, he is unlikely to receive the maximum sentence. In fact, it is unlikely he would see any jail time.
The indictment, brought by special counsel David Weiss, includes two charges for making false statements on federal forms required for the gun purchase and one charge for illegal possession of the firearm. According to the indictment, Biden falsely answered “No” to the question about whether he was an unlawful user of, or addicted to, illegal drugs, according to CNN.
Court Proceedings and Witnesses
The trial is expected to last one to two weeks. U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika is presiding over the case, which follows a year after a plea deal between Hunter Biden and prosecutors fell apart under her scrutiny.
Prosecutors plan to call about a dozen witnesses, including three of Hunter Biden’s former romantic partners: his ex-wife Kathleen Buhle, Hallie Biden (the widow of his late brother with whom he had a romantic relationship after his brother passed away) and Lunden Roberts, the mother of one of his children. Their testimonies are expected to focus on Biden’s drug use around the time of the gun purchase.
Context and Potential Impact
The trial follows the recent conviction of former President Donald Trump on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records but was seen as many as a political witch hunt. The “falsified” documents were in relation to an alleged payoff prior to the 2016 election to porn star Stormy Daniels, who is enshrined in the Nightmoves Hall of Fame (not making this up), to keep her quiet about a sexual encounter she alleges occurred between her and Trump. Trump denies the encounter ever took place.
A federal appeals court previously denied Hunter Biden’s requests to postpone his trial and overturn several motions to dismiss the case, providing many Republicans with the hoped political payback they wish to see inflicted on Biden following Trumps legal woes, all brought about by Democratic prosecutors.
Despite the federal nature of the charges, the White House has stated that President Biden will not pardon his son if convicted. A guilty verdict and time will tell.
The outcome of this trial could have far-reaching consequences, not only for Hunter Biden but also for the political landscape as the 2024 presidential election approaches. It also remains to be seen if the trial could unwittingly open a door for more examination into the alleged illegal business dealings of the sitting president and his son, accepting money from the Ukraine and China. Congressional investigations have been conducted on those dealings with just enough evidence coming to light to spawn conspiracy theories, but not enough to warrant a full trial on the matter. At least not yet…it took Democrats nearly eight years to find something they could get to stick to Trump in a court of law. The Republicans have a couple more years to go.
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