Hunter Biden plans to request the dismissal of tax charges filed against him last year, claiming that the case is politically driven.
According to Biden, Republican lawmakers exerted pressure on prosecutors, resulting in an impeachment inquiry against his father, President Joe Biden, when a previous plea deal was unsuccessful.
Hunter Biden’s legal team, led by attorney Abbe Lowell, plans to challenge the charges in federal court in Los Angeles. The arguments will be heard by U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi, who will consider motions filed by both Biden’s legal team and the special counsel’s office. The lead prosecutor, Leo Wise, will represent the special counsel’s office.
Judge Scarsi has expressed his desire for the case to progress swiftly through the pre-trial process, although he is not expected to immediately make rulings on the motions.
Last year, Weiss filed nine tax-related charges against Hunter Biden in a California federal court. These charges included three felony charges and six misdemeanor charges. The allegations were centered around Hunter Biden’s failure to pay a minimum of $1.4 million in taxes. According to the indictment, Weiss claimed that Hunter Biden had engaged in a multiyear scheme to evade federal taxes. Instead of fulfilling his tax obligations, Hunter Biden was accused of spending his money on an extravagant lifestyle, which included expenses related to drugs, escorts, girlfriends, luxury hotels, rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other personal items.
In January, the president’s son entered a not guilty plea to the charges. Last month, his lawyers filed several motions requesting the judge to dismiss the charges. They argued that the prosecutors had succumbed to political pressure, among other things.
According to a statement made by Lowell, the special counsel has gone to great measures to bring charges against Mr. Biden that would not have been brought against anyone else. Lowell stated that the prosecutors broke binding agreements, succumbed to political pressure by bringing unprecedented charges, exceeded their authority, disregarded the rules, allowed their agents to act recklessly, and repeatedly misrepresented evidence to the court in order to defend their actions.
Federal prosecutors have refuted Hunter Biden’s claims, asserting that he fabricated “a conspiracy theory” as a means to evade tax charges following the unraveling of his earlier plea deal.
Prosecutors wrote in a recent filing that the defendant has developed a conspiracy theory suggesting that the prosecution has increased its efforts to satisfy politicians who are not involved in the case and are not even part of the current Executive Branch.
Hunter Biden is not only facing tax charges but also federal gun charges in Delaware. It is alleged that he possessed a firearm while using narcotics. The trial for the gun charges is set to take place in June.
Hunter Biden has emerged as a significant player in the impeachment inquiry led by House Republicans against the president. Last month, the president’s son participated in a closed-door deposition with the GOP-led House Oversight and Judiciary committees. In his prepared remarks, he strongly criticized the investigation, referring to it as a “charade.”
Gary Grumbach is a Washington, D.C.-based producer and reporter for NBC News.
Sarah Fitzpatrick brings a wealth of experience to her role as a senior investigative producer and story editor for NBC News. With a background that includes working for CBS News and “60 Minutes,” she has honed her skills in the world of journalism and storytelling.