Wednesday in federal court, Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to tax evasion and illegal gun possession charges after the magistrate supervising the case rejected the June plea agreement between President Joe Biden’s son and federal prosecutors.
U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika questioned the agreement’s provision for absolute immunity from future prosecution.
“From the start, the judge seemed highly skeptical of the unusual deal — which offered Hunter Biden broad immunity from prosecution in perpetuity, questioning why it had been filed under a provision that gave her no legal authority to reject it,” The New York Times’ Glenn Thrush reported.
“When she asked Leo Wise, a prosecutor, if there was any precedent for the kind of deal being proposed, he replied, ‘No, your honor.’”
Thrush explained, “Noreika … [demanded] that the two sides make changes in the deal clarifying her role and insert language that limits the broad immunity from prosecution offered to Biden on his business dealings. Biden’s lawyers estimated it would take about two weeks.”
Kara Scannell of CNN reported from the courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware, “The judge said that she could not accept the plea agreement as it was structured.”
🚨BREAKING🚨
HUNTER BIDEN PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES AFTER PLEA DEAL IS JEOPARDIZED pic.twitter.com/HHpLbp9zWK
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 26, 2023
Concerning the plea agreement for gun diversion, the judge questioned the constitutionality of her participation in determining whether Biden should be charged if he violated the terms.
U.S. Attorney David Weiss recommended Biden be placed on probation for failing to pay more than $100,000 in 2017 and 2018 taxes.
Maximum penalties for misdemeanor tax evasion include a $25,000 fine and one year in jail.
The pretrial diversion agreement would have resolved the possession of a firearm charge against a drug user or addict.
More on this story via The Western Journal:
Under the deal, the president’s son would have agreed to be drug-free for two years and to never own a gun again.
Fox News correspondent Griff Jenkins reported that the case could now be heading to trial. CONTINUE READING…