WASHINGTON: Hunter Biden, the son of US President Joe Biden, is scheduled to appear in federal court in Delaware, where he is expected to plead not guilty to charges of illegally possessing a handgun.
The 53-year-old is facing three felony charges related to his 2018 purchase of a .38-caliber Colt Cobra revolver.
The charges against Hunter Biden include two counts of making false statements on forms required for the gun purchase, as he allegedly claimed he was not using drugs illegally at the time. He also faces a third charge of illegal possession of the handgun, which he owned for only 11 days in October 2018 before it was disposed of.
Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, has informed the court of his intention to plead not guilty during the arraignment at a federal courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware. Lowell had requested that Biden, who resides in California, be allowed to appear by video, but the request was denied by Judge Christopher Burke, who ruled that the defendant should not receive special treatment.
Earlier in July, a plea deal with federal prosecutor David Weiss that would have dismissed the gun charges in exchange for Biden pleading guilty to two tax charges and avoiding prison fell apart. This resulted in Weiss filing the three felony gun possession charges.
If convicted, Hunter Biden could theoretically face up to 25 years in prison, although such offenses, if not accompanied by other charges, are typically not punished with jail time in practice.
In the meantime, Weiss, who was appointed special counsel for the Biden probe after the plea deal collapsed, has indicated that he is still investigating Hunter Biden on potential tax charges.
While Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings in Ukraine and China during his father’s tenure as vice president have drawn scrutiny from Republicans, he has not been charged with any crimes related to these activities, and no credible evidence has emerged linking his father, President Joe Biden, to any illegal actions.
Despite his legal troubles, President Joe Biden has consistently supported his son, expressing trust and faith in him throughout his personal and legal challenges, emphasizing that Hunter has “done nothing wrong.” These legal issues, however, threaten to cast a shadow over the president’s re-election campaign next year.
