Hunter Biden indicted on gun charges

Hunter Biden, the son of US President Joe Biden, has been formally indicted on gun-related charges stemming from an incident five years ago.

The indictment, which was announced on Thursday, alleges that Hunter Biden illegally purchased a Colt revolver in Delaware while he was admittedly heavily involved in drug use.

The charges brought against Hunter Biden include two counts of making false statements on firearm purchase forms, as he allegedly denied illegal drug use during the time of the purchase. Additionally, a third charge accuses him of illegal possession of the firearm, an offense that carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

These charges have been filed by Justice Department Special Counsel David Weiss, who initiated an investigation into Hunter Biden’s actions back in 2018. This indictment follows a tumultuous series of events related to a plea deal struck between Hunter Biden and Weiss just two months prior.

In July, Hunter Biden had agreed to plead guilty to minor tax charges and was offered probation, as he had already settled his tax obligations, including penalties. The plea deal also included a provision that the felony gun charge would be suspended if Hunter completed a “pretrial diversion” program, which often includes counseling or rehabilitation.

However, the plea deal unraveled during a dramatic hearing on July 26, primarily due to disagreements over whether Hunter Biden could be subject to additional charges related to his business dealings in foreign countries, including Ukraine and China. These potential charges included acting as an unregistered foreign lobbyist, as discussed by the judge.

Subsequently, three weeks after the plea deal collapsed, Weiss dropped the tax charges and signaled his intention to bring new charges in other states. He also confirmed that an indictment regarding the gun charge would be issued by the end of September.

These legal challenges have cast a shadow over Hunter Biden, a 53-year-old Yale-trained lawyer and lobbyist, and have become a contentious issue in his father’s reelection campaign. Republicans have alleged, without concrete evidence, that the Justice Department has been lenient with Hunter, raising questions about the impartiality of the legal proceedings.

This indictment marks a critical development in the ongoing legal saga surrounding Hunter Biden, and it is likely to continue drawing attention and scrutiny in the coming months.