US President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, pleaded not guilty Thursday in Los Angeles to tax evasion in an embarrassing case for a White House resident preparing to face Donald Trump again.
Hunter Biden (53), a businessman who has now devoted himself to painting and says he has overcome drug and alcohol addiction, is one of the favorite targets of his father’s Republican opponents, who consider him the Achilles heel of the Democratic president.
Indicted in December for evasion stratagem
required to pay $1.4 million in debt for the tax period from 2016 to 2019, according to prosecutors, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to all nine counts during a brief hearing, according to US media.
The appearance in Los Angeles came a day after a congressional hearing that turned into a free-for-all in Washington when Hunter Biden unexpectedly attended to protest the stance of Republicans, who launched an impeachment inquiry into the president in September.
The latter accuse Joe Biden, without providing evidence, of corruption and of having benefited from his son’s controversial affairs in Ukraine and China while he was Barack Obama’s vice president (2009-2017).
Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, appeared in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware on October 3, 2023, on charges of illegal possession of a firearm. (Archive photo)
Photo: Reuters / EVELYN HOCKSTEIN
Let me make this as clear as possible: my father was never financially involved in my business
Hunter Biden assured on December 13, in a serious tone, before Congress.
The epitome of white privilege
On Wednesday, two congressional committees dominated by the Republican majority in the House of Representatives recommended that he be found guilty of obstructing congressional investigative powers for refusing to participate in a closed-door hearing about his financial interests in a “foreigner.” He himself calls for a public discussion.
During one of the hearings, one of the Republican elected officials called Hunter Biden a Coward
showing his sleazy photos, while another called himthe epitome of white privilege
.
What they are doing to Hunter is cruel
Jill Biden, the wife of the US president, reacted on Thursday during an interview with the MSNBC channel.
The First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden.
Photo: AFP / Nathan Howard
On the tax front, justice accuses him of having spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle instead of paying taxes
according to the indictment, which mentions his drug use as well as payments to the companyescort
as well as luxury cars and clothes.
Two potential trials in 2024
Hunter Biden faces up to 17 years in prison in this case.
He was also charged in another case in Delaware with illegal possession of a firearm. So he could potentially be tried twice in 2024 while his father is campaigning for re-election.
He reached a plea deal last June that also covered charges of tax evasion and illegal possession of a firearm, which would likely have allowed him to avoid jail time and an embarrassing trial for him and his father.
However, this agreement was annulled after a judge expressed doubts about its validity in July.