3rd October, 2023
President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, pleaded not guilty Tuesday on charges relating to concealing drug use when buying a weapon.
Biden’s court appearance in Delaware, after a judge denied his request to appear by video conference, comes after an initial plea deal in the matter fell apart.
Special counsel David Weiss, also the U.S. attorney for Delaware, charged Biden with failing to disclose drug use when seeking to buy a weapon.
This resulted in two charges — as well as for unlawful possession of a firearm while addicted to a controlled substance.
Biden has spoken openly about his struggles with addiction.
The most serious charges carry up to 10 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
This is the first criminal prosecution of a sitting president’s child.
The issue has gotten a lot of attention, especially because Donald Trump, Biden’s probable Republican opponent in 2024, is also facing many criminal prosecutions.
Biden’s legal team maintains that an agreement with prosecutors to resolve the charges remains in place, but some legal experts say that the firearms-related allegations could face constitutional challenges.
Despite being a regular target of Republican attacks, Hunter Biden has never held a White House post and has publicly admitted to struggling with substance problems.
Reuters/NAN
