On Monday, a federal judge in California denied Hunter Biden’s motion to dismiss the tax case filed against him. Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, will be facing a trial for tax offenses soon. The trial is expected to take place in June while his father is campaigning for another term in office.
US District Judge Mark Scarsi rejected eight motions seeking to dismiss the indictment against Hunter Biden.
Tax Evasion
The president’s son has been accused of attempting to evade $1.4 million in taxes while maintaining an extravagant and lavish lifestyle.
In the 82-page ruling the Trump appointed judge Scarsi rejected Biden’s attempts to get the case dismissed.
Pleaded Not Guilty
President Biden’s son has pleaded not guilty to all of the nine charges filed against him. Hunter Biden has been accused of failing to file and pay taxes in a timely manner.
Hunter Biden has also allegedly participated in an unlawful tax-evasion scheme that involves falsifying tax returns and engaging in fraudulent accounting practices with regards to his company’s payroll.
The Political Aspect of the Case
Considering the fact that Hunter is Joe Biden’s son, this case holds political implications, especially now when Biden is campaigning for another term in office.
Hunter Biden’s legal team contended in their motions to get the charges dismissed that prosecutors “bowed to political pressure to bring unprecedented charges.”
Charges Against Hunter Biden
Hunter Biden is facing a nine-count indictment that comprises three felony charges for tax evasion and filing a false tax return.
There are also six misdemeanor charges filed against him for failing to file tax returns or not reporting his income for specific tax years.
Potential Penalty of Prison Sentence
If convicted, 54-year-old Hunter Biden, could potentially face a maximum penalty of 17 years in prison.
Apart from the tax charges, Hunter Biden is also facing three federal gun charges in the state of Delaware. Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty in the second indictment as well.
Scarsi Scrapped Allegations of Political Bias
Scarsi stated that Hunter Biden’s lawyers have provided “virtually no evidence” to support their claims of political bias in his prosecution.
Scarsi wrote in the 82-page ruling, “Defendant fails to present a reasonable inference, let alone clear evidence, of discriminatory effect and discriminatory purpose.”
Hunter Biden’s Lawyer Doesn’t Agree with the Court’s Decision
Abbe Lowell, Hunter Biden’s lawyer, strongly disagrees with the court’s decision. On Monday night, Lowell said in a statement, “We strongly disagree with the Court’s decision and will continue to vigorously pursue Mr. Biden’s challenges to the abnormal way the Special Counsel handled this investigation and charged this case.”
The current ruling has set the stage for a potential trial to take place in June, which precedes the November 2024 presidential elections that Hunter Biden’s father is contesting.
Arguments Put Forth by Hunter Biden’s Legal Team
Hunter Biden’s legal team put forth several arguments to get the case dismissed. This included the contention that based on the terms of an immunity agreement Hunter Biden was shielded from any further prosecution in the tax case. The alleged immunity agreement had collapsed last year in July.
Biden’s attorneys also filed a motion seeking to dismiss the indictment asserting that the special legal counsel, David Weiss, had been “unlawfully appointed” to the case.
Targeted by Republicans
For quite a while now, Hunter Biden has been targeted by Republicans who have been attempting to assert allegations of corruptions against his father, Joe Biden.
The impeachment effort resulted in a series of tumultuous and chaotic hearings. However, it is quite evident that the impeachment efforts are highly unlikely to prevail.
Hunter Biden Asserts His Innocence
Hunter Biden has maintained his stance that he is innocent. He believes all the charges filed against him are politically driven, stemming from the excessive pressure being exerted on Weiss by the Republicans.
Weiss has completely rejected such claims.
Scarsi Said Hunter Biden Has Not Provided Any Factual Evidence to Support His Allegations
Scarsi wrote, “Defendant provides no facts indicating that the government undertook charging decisions in any respect because of public statements by politicians, let alone based on defendant’s familial and political affiliations.”
When Hunter Biden’s legal team argued that the Republicans have vocally taken credit for the tax charges, Scarsi retorted, “But politicians take credit for many things over which they have no power and have made no impact.”
Lowell Argued That Charges From the 2018 Tax Year Should Be Dismissed
During the court proceedings, Lowell contended that the charges filed against Hunter Biden for the 2018 tax year should be dismissed since they were filed in California.
Hunter Biden was purportedly residing in Washington DC in tax year 2018.
Scarsi Pointed Out Hunter Had Admitted Moving to California
Scarsi pointed out that Hunter Biden had stated in his currently nullified plea deal documents that he “moved to California in the spring of 2018” while also stating that it would be “for the jury to decide’ the veracity of the claim.
During the court proceedings, Sacrsi appeared to be highly skeptical of the defense’s arguments. Prosecutors, on the other hand, characterized the claims as implausible and far-fetched.
Hunter Biden’s Struggles With Drug Addiction
While arguing Hunter Biden’s case, Lowell did not fail to criticize his own client.
Lowell pointed out that in the last few years, Hunter Biden has been known as a “drug addict” who “did ridiculously stupid things” due to sinking “in the depths of his addiction.”
