Hunter Biden, son of President Biden, is due to appear in a Delaware court to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax charges.
This comes as a result of a prolonged federal investigation into his tax affairs. The charges, announced last month by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, David C. Weiss, state that despite owing over $100,000 in federal income taxes each year, Biden failed to pay the due amount.
In addition to the tax charges, Biden has agreed to a pretrial diversion program for a separate felony charge of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. This program, as described by the Department of Justice, diverts certain offenders into alternative systems of supervision and service, such as mental health or substance abuse treatment. Successful completion of these programs can result in a reduction or dismissal of charges, or a more favorable recommendation at sentencing.
This court appearance follows public testimony from two IRS whistleblowers, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, who were part of the IRS investigative team on the Hunter Biden investigation. They alleged that the investigation and prosecutorial decisions were influenced by politics, a claim denied by the Justice Department. The court appearance also comes amidst allegations of improper court procedure by Hunter Biden’s legal team, with Judge Noreika threatening sanctions over allegations of lying to the clerk’s office.
Hunter Biden’s legal troubles have been ongoing since 2018, with the investigation into his “tax affairs” beginning amid the discovery of suspicious activity reports regarding funds from “China and other foreign nations.” The investigation was reportedly an “offshoot” from an existing probe into a foreign pornography platform.
The firearms charge relates to allegations that Hunter Biden lied during a gun purchase in 2018. A firearm transaction report reviewed by Fox News indicated that Hunter Biden purchased a gun earlier that month and answered negatively when asked if he was “an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?” Hunter Biden was discharged from the Navy in 2014 after testing positive for cocaine.
The White House, when asked for comment after the charges were announced, released a statement saying: “The President and First Lady love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life. We will have no further comment.”
