After His Gun Conviction, Hunter Biden Avoids Trial By Entering Guilty Plea In Federal Tax Case

President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden pleaded guilty on Thursday, September 5, to all charges in his federal tax case. He made his decision aiming to spare his family from another painful and embarrassing criminal trial following his gun case conviction just months earlier.

“Hunter Put His Family First Today”

According to NBC News, “Hunter put his family first today. And it was a brave and loving thing to do,” his attorney Abbe Lowell told reporters and said that the plea prevented a “show trial.”

Joe Biden did not address reporters but released a statement criticizing prosecutors from special counsel David Weiss’ office, accusing them of being “focused not on justice but on dehumanizing me for my actions during my addiction.”

“I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy, and needless embarrassment,” he stated, reported by NBC News.

Plea To The Nine Criminal Counts

Biden’s plea to the nine criminal counts in Los Angeles federal court came after prosecutors opposed his earlier attempt to enter an Alford plea, where a defendant pleads guilty due to the strength of the case but still maintains their innocence. 

Hunter Biden ultimately entered an open plea, where he pleaded guilty to all charges, leaving his sentencing entirely up to the judge, with no agreed-upon recommendation from the prosecutors.

Hunter Biden’s decision came hours before jury selection was about to begin in the case accusing him of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes.

U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi swore in Hunter Biden to enter the plea. Prosecutor Leo Wise read a 56-page indictment in open court, a strange plea process

“Do you agree you committed every element of every crime in counts one through nine in the indictment?” The Judge questioned after the reading. “Yes,” Biden replied, before pleading guilty to each count.

The Judge Will Determine Any Sentences

As per reports, the  Justice Department said that “Hunter Biden faces a maximum penalty of 17 years in prison,” while saying that sentences are typically less than the maximum. It also mentioned that the Judge “will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.”

“We will now move on to the sentencing phase while keeping open all options to raise the clear legal issues with this case on appeal,” Lowell stated.

According to NBC News, Biden said, “I failed to file and pay my taxes on time. For that I am responsible. As I have stated, addiction is not an excuse, but it is an explanation for some of my failures at issue in this case. When I was addicted, I wasn’t thinking about my taxes, I was thinking about surviving.”

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