A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed the gun case against Hunter Biden after President Biden issued blanket amnesty For your son.
U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika closed the case against Hunter Biden a week before he was scheduled to be sentenced. He could have faced up to 25 years in prison, although as a first-time offender he could have received less time or avoided prison altogether.
Prosecutors opposed dismissing the case, arguing in court documents that the pardon should not end the case “as if it never happened.” Hunter Biden was convicted of three felonies after he lied on federal forms to buy a gun in Delaware in 2018 by saying he was not a drug user, a period when he admitted to being a drug addict. Was done.
The Justice Department's special counsel is also opposed to the dismissal of a case filed in California after Hunter Biden failure to pay $1.4 million in taxes. U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi in Los Angeles said he would dismiss the case once he was formally pardoned.
Nevertheless, Scarsi criticized the president's claim that his son was singled out for political reasons, saying that two judges had rejected similar arguments from his defense lawyers.
The president's decision Sunday to back out of past promises and issue a broad federal pardon to his son for his actions over the past 11 years has sparked a political uproar in Washington, drawing criticism from many Democrats as well as Republicans. Threatens to tarnish Mr Biden's legacy. As he is preparing to leave office on January 20.
In their own motion on Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump's lawyers Cited the apology In requesting that Trump's conviction in the New York “hush money” case be dismissed.
Hunter Biden was originally supposed to reach a plea deal with prosecutors last year that would have spared him jail time, but the deal fell apart after Noreika raised questions about its unusual aspects.
In announcement of his statement Regarding the pardon, Mr. Biden said that “Since the day I took office, I have said I would not interfere with Justice Department decision-making, and I kept my word, even though I saw my son selectively and unfairly prosecuted.” Have you seen it happen?
Mr Biden alleged that his son was “treated differently” than others in similar circumstances and that the allegations followed “many of my political opponents in Congress inciting me to attack and oppose my election”. Were installed.
The pardon applies to any offense committed by Hunter between January 1, 2014 and December 1, 2024.
hunter biden Was accused Accused of lying on paperwork to purchase a gun in October 2018 even though he was addicted to illegal drugs. Federal law prohibits users of illicit drugs from possessing firearms.
In June, a Delaware jury found him guilty Making false statements in the purchase of a firearm, making false statements relating to information required to be maintained by a federally licensed firearms dealer, and possession of a firearm by a person who is its unlawful user or addict, each was charged with one count. For a controlled substance.
Then in September, Hunter reach a plea agreement Charged with nine counts of federal tax evasion in Los Angeles. Before his pardon, he faced up to 17 years in prison in that case.