Hunter Biden to Plead Not Guilty to Gun Charges
Pres. Biden's son Hunter Biden will plead not guilty to three federal gun charges, his attorney said in a court filing on Tuesday....
Facts
- Pres. Biden's son Hunter Biden will plead not guilty to three federal gun charges, his attorney said in a court filing on Tuesday.1
- Adding that his client is requesting not to appear in federal court in Wilmington, Hunter's lawyer said: 'There is no reason why he can't utter those two words [not guilty] by videoconference.'2
- Hunter was indicted last week, two months after a plea agreement over tax and gun charges fell apart. The charges include making false statements to the seller of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.3
- According to the indictment, Hunter falsely filled out a federal firearms form by stating that he wasn't 'an unlawful user of' nor was he 'addicted to any stimulant narcotic drug' when he purchased a Colt Cobra Special revolver in October 2018.4
- If convicted, he will face a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison — five years for lying to a firearm seller and ten years each for making false statements on a federal form and possessing a firearm.5
- Meanwhile, Republicans in the House of Representatives have launched an impeachment inquiry into Pres. Biden, accusing him of lying about his involvement in his son's business dealings during his tenure as vice president.4
Sources: 1BBC News (a), 2New York Times, 3Ft, 4BBC News (b) and 5USA Today.
Narratives
- Democratic narrative, as provided by Wall Street Journal. Hunter Biden is cooperating fully with this witch hunt of an investigation and indictment. The Republicans are desperate to take any avenue possible to bring frivolous charges against him and link Pres. Biden to alleged misconduct, even if that means fabricating ridiculous stories and trumping charges.
- Republican narrative, as provided by Washington Post. Hunter Biden knowingly lied on a federal form and purchased a firearm while addicted to a controlled substance. He could have seriously injured someone while incapacitated by drugs and deserves to be punished to the full extent of the law.
