Hunter Biden, son of the president of the United States, was indicted by a federal grand jury in California with nine counts of tax evasion of millions of dollars from businesses abroad. This case, the second in a few months, only adds fuel to an issue that Republicans use in the 2024 electoral route to attack the father at the expense of the son. The accusation represents an institutionalization of the bad life in which Hunter immersed himself (drugs, luxury, ladies) during a stage of his life.
These new charges are in addition to other federal charges in Delaware because he allegedly violated the law in 2018 by possessing a weapon while he was a drug user.
The electoral campaign for next November’s elections will have a marked judicial character. The conservatives already have compelling judicial material to respond to the 91 criminal charges in four courts that weigh on Donald Trump, some as serious as his attempt to annul the result of the 2020 polls and perpetuate himself in power.
Although Hunter’s charges are relevant, they are not as explosive as those against the former president, but ‘Trumpism’ is already taking advantage of the case of Biden’s son as if he were one of the most wanted criminals.
The special prosecutor, David Weiss, announced the tax charges this Thursday against Joe Biden’s son, and these include three tax crimes, punishable by long prison terms, and six other minor crimes. The political cost can be significant for the president. Officially, the person who accuses Hunter Biden is the United States Government. The White House did not comment on this criminal situation and was waiting for Hunter’s lawyer to offer his version, although he previously indicated that they will fight any charge.
In the indictment, prosecutors allege that Hunter Biden, 53, developed a four-year strategy to avoid paying at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes. So he was left liable for the tax years from 2016 to 2019, for the settlement period from January 2017 to October 2020, and evaded the settlement of the 2018 tax when he submitted false returns around 2020.
It is also indicated in that 56-page document that Hunter Biden squandered “millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle instead of paying his taxes.” He further alleges that he earned millions of dollars from foreign entities in Ukraine, Romania and China, which he spent while choosing not to face tax obligations.
“He spent the money on drugs, escorts and girls, luxurious hotels and property rentals, exotic cars, clothes and other personal property, in short, everything except his taxes,” the letter emphasizes.
Republican congressmen are also conducting an impeachment investigation of President Biden. They claim that he was involved in an influence peddling plan with his son. The Lower House plans to vote next week on the formal authorization of the investigation.
Although ethical questions have arisen around the Biden family’s international businesses, conservatives have not been able to find any evidence or anything similar to support that Joe Biden, as president or previously as vice president, abused his power or accept bribes. In fact, in the sessions held, the witnesses proposed by the Republicans themselves contradicted them or declared that they did not see anything irregular.
The way the world goes. A few months ago, the prosecution and Hunter Biden reached an agreement for him to accept his guilt in the minor tax crimes (there were no others) and in the possession of the gun, in exchange for sentences that did not involve going to prison and with benign penalties.
The Republican ultras of the Lower House, with the invaluable collaboration of Fox and its stars, latched on to Hunter’s problems to obtain rhetorical ammunition against his father. That plea deal was considered a scandal and Weiss, whom Donald Trump appointed, a gutless guy, sold to power.
So, last July, Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to federal charges, once the deal had been blown up. The judge asked for more information. In August those misdemeanors were dismissed. It was necessary to investigate. Weiss was invested that same month with more powers by the Biden Administration’s Department of Justice, an elevation that, as it turned out, displeased the White House.
In September, he was charged with possessing a weapon while consuming narcotics. These charges established that he completed the purchase form and lied regarding drug use. He pleaded not guilty.
Hunter Biden borrowed two million from his lawyer and confidant Kevin Morris to pay the IRS (the United States Treasury) the debt and penalties for his non-payments. But the investigation had already been underway since the deal fell through in July. Since then, a Los Angeles grand jury has since subpoenaed James Biden, President Biden’s brother, as part of the investigation into Hunter.
