OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Former President Donald Trump responded quickly to the news of the indictment of Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden.
It came during an interview for the NBC show “Meet The Press” that is set to air this Sunday.
During the interview anchor Kristen Welker got word that the president’s son had been indicted and asked the former president for his response.
“Let’s talk about the breaking news today. We learned just a short time ago that the president’s son, Hunter Biden, was indicted by a federal grand jury on three gun charges. Given that, Mr. President, can you continue to say that there are two systems of justice?” the anchor said.
“Well, I think there’s no question about it. He had a plea deal that was the deal of the century. The art of the deal, you could write a book on it. The art of the deal. And all of a sudden it was broken up by a judge who was able to – a brilliant judge, actually, who was able to see through what was happening,” the former president said.
“And it’s a sad situation. I mean, nobody should be happy about this. I’m not happy about it. Nobody is. It’s a very sad thing. It’s so bad for our country. But you know, if you think about it, I’ve been under investigation from the day I came down the escalator. A phony investigation. Fake investigations. Investigations that I beat every single time. Still under investigations.
“But it’s a very sad thing. And it’s a slippery slope, and dangerous, very dangerous for our country,” he said.
After his son was indicted on Thursday, President Biden gave a speech just after the news broke.
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.
