Federal Judge Has Bad News for Hunter Biden
At a hearing on Wednesday, concerns were raised by U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi about the lack of concrete evidence linking federal tax charges against Hunter Biden to the investigative efforts of congressional Republicans into the Biden family's financial dealings.
Despite not reaching a decision, Judge Scarsi hinted during the Los Angeles session that he found the defense's suggestions—that the Justice Department under the Biden administration was acting under the influence of former President Donald Trump—unconvincing, as reported by CNN.
Judge Scarsi, who is deliberating over nine different motions from Hunter’s legal team, announced he would make his ruling by April 17, as per The Washington Post.
He expressed particular annoyance with a motion alleging “selective and vindictive” prosecution, citing a lack of evidential support for the claim. Scarsi emphasized that the case would be decided on its facts and the law, dismissing the political noise surrounding it as irrelevant.
The judge's ruling could lead to a trial for Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, in June, unless a plea deal is reached. This comes after a previous plea agreement fell apart in July, causing a significant escalation that led to Wednesday's court appearance in California.
Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, argued that it was unjust for his client to now face three felony charges and six misdemeanors, especially after an initial plea deal on lesser charges had caused a stir among Republicans.
Lowell suggested that the intensified charges were a result of special prosecutor David Weiss, the U.S. attorney for Delaware who initially led the probe, succumbing to pressure from Republicans.
Judge Scarsi challenged Lowell to provide evidence beyond timing to substantiate these connections, to which Lowell responded with the claim of a "juicy timeline."
Prosecutor Leo Wise countered that the collapse of the plea deal freed the Justice Department from its constraints. Additionally, the hearing discussed an immunity agreement that was supposed to resolve tax and gun charges against Hunter Biden, which, according to reports from the New York Post, was never finalized by the necessary parties, rendering it ineffective.
Wise highlighted a shift in stance by Biden’s defense team, noting that there was an expectation of Hunter Biden’s guilty plea, which prompted Judge Scarsi to question the logic behind pleading guilty under immunity.