Hunter Biden strikes plea deal in federal tax and gun case

Hunter Biden has struck a deal with federal prosecutors, agreeing to plead guilty for failing to pay his income taxes and reaching a pretrial agreement on a felony charge of illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user. The plea deal likely puts an end to the Justice Department’s multiyear investigation into President Biden’s 52-year-old second son, who as part of the agreement will receive probation and avoid jail time.

“With the announcement of two agreements between my client, Hunter Biden, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware, it is my understanding that the five-year investigation into Hunter is resolved," Chris Clark, attorney for Hunter Biden, said in a statement. “I know Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life. He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward.”

How did the investigation into Hunter Biden begin?

In December 2020, the U.S. attorney’s office in Delaware announced it was investigating Hunter Biden for possible income tax violations.

The investigation was led by Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss, who was appointed by then-President Donald Trump in 2018.

Hunter Biden was the target of regular attacks by Trump during the 2020 campaign. The former president and his Republican allies criticized Hunter Biden's position on the board of a Ukrainian energy company while Joe Biden was vice president, suggesting it had corruptly influenced U.S. foreign policy. Hunter Biden has acknowledged that he had “poor judgment” in taking the role but denied any wrongdoing.

What is Hunter Biden being charged with, exactly?

According to court filings made public on Tuesday, Hunter Biden has agreed to plead guilty to two federal tax offenses, both misdemeanors, for willfully failing to pay his federal income taxes in 2017 and 2018. He has also entered into a pretrial agreement to the felony charge that he possessed a handgun in October 2018 despite knowing that he was a drug user.

Hunter Biden has acknowledged struggling with addiction following the 2015 death of his brother, Beau Biden.

He has also since fully repaid back taxes and fines, including $2 million he reportedly paid to the federal government last year.

Read more on Yahoo News:

• AP: Hunter Biden will plead guilty in a deal that likely avoids time behind bars in a tax and gun case
• ABC News: What to know about the Hunter Biden federal investigations
• Daily News: Hunter Biden to plead guilty to minor tax charges, ending sprawling probe by Trump-appointed prosecutor
• Rolling Stone: Republicans rage at Hunter Biden’s plea deal: ‘Slap on the wrist’

How did President Biden react?

The White House issued a brief statement on Tuesday morning following the report of the deal.

“The President and First Lady love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life,” the statement read. “We will have no further comment.”

The president has largely avoided weighing in publicly on his son’s case.

“I love him,” Biden said last month following a report that the Department of Justice was on the verge of charging Hunter Biden. “He’s on the straight and narrow, and he has been for a couple years now. And I’m just so proud of him.”

How about Trump?

“Wow! The corrupt Biden DOJ just cleared up hundreds of years of criminal liability by giving Hunter Biden a mere ‘traffic ticket,’” Trump wrote in a message posted to Truth Social. “Our system is BROKEN!”

Trump has been indicted twice this year — by prosecutors in New York City for hush money payments they allege violate campaign finance laws and by the Justice Department for his personal retention of classified government documents and alleged obstruction of justice — and is still under investigation by the DOJ and authorities in New York state and Georgia.

What’s next?

While the legal case against Hunter Biden may soon be resolved, the political attacks will undoubtedly continue, as Trump and other Republican hopefuls try to use the episode to shine an unflattering spotlight on the president, his family and the Justice Department.

Congressional Republicans slammed the plea deal and vowed to forge ahead with investigations into the Bidens in the GOP-led House.

“It's a two-tiered system in America,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters on Tuesday morning. “If you are the president's leading political opponent, the DOJ literally tries to put you in jail and give you prison time. If you are the president's son, you get a sweetheart deal.”