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.
I hate these political games. His daddy will pardon any conviction right after the election. If they had waited to go to trial until after Jan 20, he might have to actually serve some serious time.
Hopefully there is something else they can get a conviction on next year.
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“His daddy will pardon any conviction right after the election.”
He will still have been convicted, the same as Trump has been convicted.
Re-elect a president with a convicted felon kid?
geoff…The SAME? Again you show just how politically inept you are. It’s an accumulation of your kind of self serving gutless rhetoric against DJT that helped biden screw up America, do not try to pretend otherwise you democRat Party lint licker.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=IT_1Nyo8_d8&feature=shared
“From the second paragraph of this article:
“Biden, 54, is facing three felony charges related to the illegal purchase and possession of a firearm while he was allegedly abusing drugs.”
And that is 100% accurate- allegedly using drugs. No drug or addiction convictions, only here-say and some pics on social media. Without a drug conviction, this case is basically a “red flag” attempt and it should, and will, fail.
I’d like to see the Biden brat go to prison for years but there will be no conviction on the 4473 charges. Better to scrutinize his dealings with Ukraine, China, etc. This will be yet another feeble attempt by Republicans to do “something”. The graft, tax evasion, treason, etc are ignored because that’s become SOP among the big dogs in both parties.
Hunter Biden needs to go to jail, but not for the “gun” charges.
How would it effect the election if Hunter is convicted? Let’s think about that…
1. It won’t matter to Trump supporters.
2. It won’t matter to most Democrats
3. For the ‘Undecided’ voters
a. Many will see both convictions as “political” and ignore both
b. Some will feel sorry of Joe Biden, and are more likely to vote for him
c. Some don’t like Trump but see his trial and conviction as political, so they are leaning towards Trump as a victim. If Hunter is convicted Joe can play it up with his “No one is above the law” theme to get back many of the voters who are worried about the weaponized Dept of Justice.
Bottom line: Hunter being convicted is likely to be a net gain for Joe Biden if he plays it as proof that ‘No one is above the law” — then he can always commute Hunter’s sentence after the election.
Former Republican congressman and federal prosecutor Trey Gowdy on Hunter Biden’s prosecution:
“I did gun prosecutions for six years. I went after convicted felons, I went after people who were fugitives from justice. I went after lots of different people who are prohibited from possessing a firearm. But, I bet you there weren’t ten cases prosecuted nationwide of addicts or unlawful drug users who possessed firearms or lied on applications. I bet there weren’t a dozen. Which makes you wonder, of all the cases you could be pursuing in Delaware, why are you pursuing this one?“
https://www.mediamatters.org/trey-gowdy/fox-host-suggests-hunter-biden-wouldnt-be-facing-gun-charges-if-he-werent-biden
“His daddy will pardon any conviction right after the election“
“The White House says no, but questions about Joe Biden pardoning his son persist
Democratic allies in Congress say it would be a misuse of his power for the president to pardon Hunter Biden.
Dec. 16, 2023, 7:00 AM EST
By Peter Nicholas and Jonathan Allen
WASHINGTON — The White House’s answer is a hard no: President Joe Biden will not pardon his son Hunter.”
It’s just a minor trial, Hunter Biden has never held public office, and he’s not a candidate for any public office under the United States Constitution.
His guilt or innocence will have virtually no effect upon anyone but him and his family.
The next trial to watch will be the RICO case in Georgia, the issues are rapidly moving through the appeal process and it promises to be a very interesting trial.
Personally, I think Trump’s statement that they should “say” they “recalculated” that is the most damning.
“The people of Georgia are angry, the people in the country are angry,” Trump said. “And there’s nothing wrong with saying, you know, um, that you’ve recalculated.”
MINOR49er Since when does a DEMONcRAT worry about shame osr their abuse of power?
Meh, I’ll bet slap on the wrist. I want to know more about who “the big guy” is.
Nice to see regular old fashioned journalism.
Judge blocks key defense evidence in Hunter Biden gun trial.
The federal judge overseeing Hunter Biden’s gun trial dealt his defense two setbacks, on the eve of jury selection, by blocking one of his expert witnesses and excluding a key piece of evidence the president’s son hoped to use.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzdLXyMWb6M
Hunter Biden’s defense is (probably) going to try to claim he is charged with violating a statute that is written in the present tense.
Further, Biden’s defense is (probably) going to argue that James Biden, had hauled him out of a hotel room and placed him in a rehab center before he moved in with a sobriety coach in Los Angeles. Its during this period when he bought the gun and answered the question ‘no’. Their contention is probably going to be that since (they claim) the question is written in present tense that Hunter answered the question truthfully because he was not, at time of answering the question, ‘presently’ a drug user.
Hunter Biden lawyer Abbe Lowell recently wrote the court, stating “Someone like Mr. Biden, who had just completed an 11-day rehabilitation program and lived with a sober companion after that, could surely believe he was not a present tense user or addict.”
Maybe he can appeal to SCOTUS…after all where is the history, text, and tradition of denying rights based on drug use? The irony of him depending on Justices appointed by Trump is absolutely delicious!
Humpter can’t possibly get a fair trial in Delaware. Even though the state is an anything goes, open-air gun market, it’s also about 114% Republicans that cling to their guns and bibles just like flyover state citizens. Guilty as charged, with a 66 2/3 year sentence to be served in Canada.
//s
Sloe Joe has to let this trial happen, and he has to let his idiot son be found guilty, in order to legitimize his anti-gun agenda. He is simply trying to appease this anti-2A constituency, nothing more. It’s all a show on the grand stage of politics.
So it makes zero difference how the election turns out…Babblin’ Biden’s Boy is gonna get a pass from daddy.
Deranged Gun Control drama queens march against trained teachers having firearms to protect children while they are dead silent about hunter biden and his deceased brother’s wife leaving a firearm in a dumpster close to a school…FJB.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=7A3zBe1zWRg&feature=shared
I expect nothing from this trial, no prison time for a first time offender, maybe a fine to be paid by the CCP money he’ll get as a regular loan repayment. And a big attaboy from the anti-gunners for the disposal of the awful pistol.
How will cover be provided for the younger Biden, which it most likely will.
The perfect example of dumbicratic rule of law breaking!
The whole clan should be in jail!
If it wasn’t Joe bidens son we’d all be saying bullshit.
Are you a user of or addict to?
Nope, I quit last week and I’ve never been arrested 3 times for using drugs.
Just to make it more Shall Not Be Infringed, perhaps a drug screen test taken no less then two hours before yiour purchase of a firearmn should be presented to the FFL.
The real reason Hunters girlfiend threw the gunm in the trash.
” Your not Bill Cliton, my names not Monica, and that ain’t no cigar.”
“If it wasn’t Joe bidens son we’d all be saying bullshit.“
Well, yes, but you know you will be excommunicated from the conservative tribe for speaking the truth.