Hunter Biden is said to have consumed drugs and possessed weapons illegally. However, he declared himself “not guilty” in court. He faces a prison sentence and his father faces negative headlines during the election campaign.
Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, has protested his innocence in court following charges of gun law violations. The 53-year-old appeared in court in Wilmington, Delaware, and pleaded not guilty, as several US media outlets consistently reported – including CNN and the Washington Post. Biden had already announced the step.
He is accused of providing false information when purchasing a weapon several years ago and knowingly concealing his drug addiction. A planned agreement between him and the responsible public prosecutor’s office, which would have averted a trial, had previously collapsed.
According to the AP news agency, Biden’s lawyer said in court that he wanted to file a motion to dismiss the charges. The young Biden, who has not held public office, could be punished with up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
Accusations of tax crimes admitted
According to court documents, the charge includes three counts: making a false statement during the purchase, making false statements to the dealer and possessing a weapon despite unlawful drug use. Biden himself made his long-term drug addiction public in a book in 2021. He has been in the sights of the judiciary for a long time and has to fear further legal action in connection with tax offenses. He had admitted these omissions in this regard.
Biden had requested not to have to travel to the hearing in person, but to be allowed to join in via video. The court rejected that. Biden’s residence is on the US west coast in the state of California, the negotiation location is on the east coast.
Politically sensitive starting point
Prosecutors in Delaware are accusing him of failing to pay his federal income taxes on time in 2017 and 2018. A deal with the public prosecutor on the tax allegations also fell through. The overall situation is considered highly unusual and politically sensitive for a president’s son. The investigation and a possible trial could also have an impact on the US presidential election campaign.
Biden’s father Joe wants to run again in the 2024 election. Although the investigations against his son are not about the president himself, the Republicans regularly use Hunter Biden’s legal problems for political attacks on the father.
His competition is seeking impeachment proceedings, which are largely based on his son’s business practices. However, no reliable evidence of wrongdoing by the president has yet been uncovered.