A federal judge in Delaware on Friday denied an effort to have the firearms charges against Hunter Biden dismissed, rejecting his eldest son’s claims that the incident was politically motivated.
Lawyers for the 54-year-old son of President Biden’s embattled president told U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika in December that he was a felon in possession of a firearm and related falsehoods made by Special Counsel David Weiss. He asked that the two charges against him be dropped.
Lawyers for the eldest son said the case against their client was a “selective and retaliatory prosecution” and a “third-party prosecution” because the special counsel “bowed to political pressure” from former President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress. He argued that this was a violation of the separation of powers.
Noreika found this argument unconvincing and slammed Hunter Biden’s claims as “nonsense.”
“To the extent that the defendant’s claim that he is being selectively prosecuted is based solely on the fact that he is the son of a sitting president, that claim is untrue,” Noreika wrote in his book. . 26 page judgment.
The judge noted that it was the Biden Justice Department that ultimately brought charges against Hunter, and that Attorney General Merrick Garland, who elevated Weiss to special counsel, was appointed by and reports from Joe Biden.
“Defendant’s claim is, in effect, that his father targeted him because he was his son, and this claim is nonsense based on the facts here,” Noreika wrote. .
“Regardless of whether Congressional Republicans attempted to influence the executive branch, there is no evidence that they were successful in doing so, and in any event, the executive branch prosecuting defendants was (and still is) ” she continued.
Noreika, who was appointed to the court by President Trump, also rejected two other motions filed by Hunter Biden’s lawyers.
One of the motions claimed that the charges against Hunter Biden violate the torpedo diversion agreement between his eldest son and the government. The agreement was part of a failed plea deal with federal prosecutors.
Another motion questioned the legitimacy of Mr. Weiss’ appointment as special prosecutor.
The justices did not rule on a motion challenging the constitutionality of the firearms charge.
Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to all three charges in the gun case.
He is accused of falsely reporting drug use on federal forms when he purchased a Colt Cobra .38 SPL revolver in October 2018, during which time he admitted to being addicted to crack cocaine.
The eldest son faces nine charges related to tax evasion, including three felonies, in a separate case in California, where Weiss’s prosecution team said he lived He is accused of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes over a three-year period. Luxurious lifestyle. ”
His efforts to have charges dropped in the case failed earlier this month.
