Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has reached a plea deal with prosecutors.
The plea deal includes pleading guilty to tax crimes and resolving a gun charge, potentially avoiding jail time, according to recent Justice Department filings.
The investigation into Hunter Biden’s tax and financial allegations, as well as a paperwork discrepancy related to a handgun purchase, has been ongoing for five years. The agreement still requires approval from a federal judge and comes at a time when the Justice Department is facing scrutiny for its handling of high-profile investigations involving President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Prosecutors are expected to recommend probation, sparing Hunter Biden from imprisonment but potentially holding him accountable if he violates the terms. The tax charges to which he will plead guilty are misdemeanor offenses.
David Weiss, the U.S. Attorney for Delaware, who has been overseeing the politically charged investigation, filed a document stating that Hunter Biden would be charged with willful failure to pay federal income tax on two counts and possession of a firearm while being an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.
Regarding the gun charge, Hunter has agreed to enter a Pretrial Diversion Agreement, which means he would not have to enter a guilty plea but would have to meet specific criteria typically applied to non-violent charges involving people with clean records who may be dealing with substance abuse issues.
The gun charge stemmed from an incident in 2018 when Hunter became involved with his late brother’s widow, who allegedly discarded his handgun in a dumpster. The firearm was eventually recovered by an individual, prompting federal authorities to investigate the associated paperwork.
Hunter Biden had answered “no” to the question about being an unlawful user of or addicted to controlled substances when purchasing the handgun, leading to the discrepancy between his response and his admissions in his autobiography about drug addiction.
The plea deal arises amidst the ongoing political controversy surrounding the Biden administration. Republicans have criticized the administration for perceived disparities in the application of justice, particularly after former President Donald Trump was indicted on charges related to national security documents.
The guilty plea does not mark the end of the matter for Hunter Biden or his father, as House Republicans have initiated several investigations into the Biden administration and have focused on family members. House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer has demanded access to an FBI file over claims of bribery made by a whistleblower, which he considers credible but has not been proven.
The guilty plea marks a significant development in the ongoing investigations involving Hunter Biden, but its implications and consequences are yet to be fully determined.
