Hunter Biden’s lawyers working to dismiss their client’s gun case argued Tuesday far-right extremists and former President Donald Trump unduly pressured prosecutors once willing to cut a deal.
A new filing in Delaware’s federal court — where Hunter Biden stands accused of lying about drug use to purchase a firearm he kept for fewer than two weeks — contends political motivations tainted special counsel David Weiss’ case after a plea deal was in the works last year.
“In response to that outcry from former President Trump, extremist House Republicans, and right-wing media looking to make Mr. Biden’s fate a political issue in the next presidential election, the prosecution blew up that deal,” his lawyers write.
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“[Weiss] now has brought felony charges against Mr. Biden both here in Delaware and in California and is seeking a heavy prison sentence for charges the prosecution was willing to resolve for probation just months ago.”
The deal in question would have seen President Joe Biden’s 53-year-old son plead to two counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax and agree to certain legal stipulations, reports show.
After it fell apart in July, Weiss charged Biden with three gun charges in Delaware and nine tax charges in California.
Biden's lawyers now say those charges would not have been brought had their client's father not been Trump’s primary opponent in the 2024 presidential election.
"[Hunter Biden] was unconstitutionally charged for partisan political reasons because his father is a sitting President seeking reelection and the prosecution succumbed to the Republicans trying to defeat that President," the filing states.
"We know exactly how Mr. Weiss would have resolved this case absent outside pressure to treat Mr. Biden more harshly because Mr. Weiss did try to resolve this case through a Diversion Agreement and a Plea Agreement...That is, until Mr. Weiss was under pressure and heavy criticism from Republican extremists arose.”
