Hunter Biden
Presidential first son Hunter Biden was indicted in Los Angeles yesterday, meaning he now faces up to 25 years in prison on each of two sets of federal charges -- one a tax case and one a firearms case, according to a report yesterday at donaldwatkins.com.
Watkins, a longtime Alabama attorney and criminal-defense expert, provides details on the many twists and turns in the Hunter Biden case. Under the headline "Hunter Biden Indicted, Again!"Watkins writes:
After U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland’s attempt to “fix” Hunter Biden’s federal gun possession-related charges and tax case unraveled in June under scrutiny from Congressional Republicans and a Delaware federal judge, the Department of Justice finally indicted Biden on three felony tax charges in Los Angeles, California, yesterday. The new indictment also includes six misdemeanor tax-related charges.
In September 2023, Hunter Biden was indicted in Delaware on three federal felony charges for false statements he made on a federal application for the purchase of a firearm.
Hunter Biden faces up to 25 years in prison in each case. He still faces potential federal criminal charges in Washington, D.C. for lobbying for foreign government without registering as an agent for these clients.
In short, Hunter Biden faces a truckload of legal problems, and their foul odor could rub off on the 2024 campaign of his father, President Joe Biden. The curious handling of the Hunter Biden investigation already raises questions about the integrity of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), an issue Donald Trump almost certainly will try to use against Joe Biden. Watkins writes:
Hunter Biden’s plea deal is proof positive that Garland’s Department of Justice is more than willing to “fix” cases for politically connected criminal defendants. The term they use for "fixing" a criminal case is "prosecutorial discretion."
As of this date, Garland's Department of Justice is still trying to “fix” criminal cases involving current executives of the Atlanta-based Southern Company and former executives of its affiliate, Alabama Power Company.
Watkins has reported that former President Bill Clinton has been enlisted to help sweep the utility companies' mess out of sight. Watkins raises another issue that could become a factor in the Hunter Biden case:
Hunter Biden’s father, Joe Biden, is a sitting U.S. president with the unfettered power to pardon his son. It is unknown whether Joe Biden will exercise this power to spare his drug-addict son from experiencing the ordeal of criminal trials in two different federal venues and federal prison time, if convicted.
That, however, is not the only sign that the Hunter Biden case could be saturated with politics. As we reported in July 2023, Donald Trump seems to have a curious presence over the proceedings:
Biden's lawyers reached the initial deal with the Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney David Weiss. Sentencing on the charges is at the discretion of Judge Maryellen Noreika, also a Trump appointee.