OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has finally been indicted and his dad has given a speech just after the news broke.
It happened on Thursday hours after Hunter Biden was indicted on three federal charges involving illegally owning a firearm.
The president was giving a speech on Bidenomics, and towards the end, he said to reporters, “There’s alot more I know we can talk about. I wish I had a chance to take all your questions but I’m gonna get in real trouble if I do that.
Republicans acted quickly to the news that the first son was indicted, and they did not appear to be impressed.
“The Hunter Biden indictment on federal gun charges is a move to make you think that the DOJ is fair,” Rep. Andy Biggs said. “Don’t fall for it. They’re trying to protect him from way more serious charges coming his way!”
“But unless U.S. Attorney (David) Weiss investigates everyone involved in the fraud schemes and influence peddling, it will be clear President Biden’s DOJ is protecting Hunter Biden and the big guy,” House Oversight Chairman James Comer said, after saying that it was “a very small start.”
“I’ll be honest, getting Hunter on the gun charge is like getting Jeffery Dahmer on littering,” Rep. Matt Gaetz said.
Hunter Biden could face 25 years in prison if convicted on all of the counts, though that is not likely, CNN reported.
If convicted on all counts, Hunter Biden could theoretically face as much as 25 years in prison and fines of up to $750,000, according to court filings. However, defendants very rarely get the maximum penalty, especially in cases like these, involving non-violent crimes and an alleged first-time offender.
The three-count indictment was handed up Thursday by a federal grand jury in Delaware, according to court filings.
Count One accuses Hunter Biden of lying on an ATF form when he bought the gun, by falsely swearing that he wasn’t addicted to illegal drugs or using illegal drugs. It’s a crime to knowingly make a false stamen to the federal government.
Count Two accuses Hunter Biden of lying to the federally licensed gun dealer in Wilmington where he bought the gun. The alleged lie was related to the same sworn statement on the ATF form.
Count Three accuses Hunter Biden of illegally possessing the gun while using drugs or being addicted to drugs, which is a federal crime. He possessed the gun for 11 days in 2018.
Hunter Biden “provided a written statement on Form 4473 certifying he was not an unlawful user of, and addicted to, any stimulant, narcotic drug, and any other controlled substance, when in fact, as he knew, that statement was false and fictitious,” the indictment said.
This is the first time in the history of the United States that a child of a sitting president has been indicted.
Reports arose last week from multiple sources that Hunter Biden was set to be indicted by Special Counsel David Weiss in connection to the preferential tax pleas deal that was tossed by U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika in April.
Special Counsel Weiss issued a letter to Judge Noreika informing her that in accordance with the Speedy Trial Act, an indictment of Hunter Biden is required no later than September 29th. That said: the government “intends to seek the return of an indictment in this case before that date.”
Weiss wrote, that due to the considerations of Hunter’s pleas agreement the court “excluded time from July 26, 2023 to September 1, 2023, in the interests of justice. Thus, from June 23, 2024, until September 1, 2024, only two days, July 24 and 25, 2023, have elapsed for the purposes of calculating the 30 days within which an indictment must be returned after the execution of a summons. Thus, the Speedy Trial Act requires that the government obtain the return of an indictment by a grand jury by Friday, September 29, 2023. at the earliest.”
