Biden's Second Son Indicted on Tax Evasion Charges... Impact on Next Year's US Presidential Election

Hunter Biden, the second son of U.S. President Joe Biden, has been indicted on tax evasion charges. Hunter Biden has agreed to plead guilty, and the investigation is expected to conclude without a prison sentence. However, this is likely to have an immediate impact on President Biden's bid for re-election.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

According to the Associated Press and other sources on the 20th (local time), Hunter Biden has agreed with the U.S. Department of Justice to appear in court and plead guilty to tax evasion charges. He also accepted charges related to illegal possession of a firearm as a drug user.

Documents submitted by the Department of Justice to the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware on the same day detailed that Hunter Biden earned more than $1.5 million in taxable income in 2017 and 2018 but failed to pay the related federal taxes. Additionally, between October 12 and 23, 2018, he knowingly possessed a handgun while being an illegal drug user. Hunter, a Yale Law School graduate and former attorney, has been under investigation for these charges since 2018 during the administration of former President Donald Trump.

As a result, Hunter Biden will face trial for the first time in about five years. Local media reported that Hunter Biden is expected to appear soon at the Delaware federal court. With Hunter Biden admitting to the charges, the Department of Justice is expected to seek probation for the tax evasion. The illegal firearm possession charge is also likely to be resolved under conditions such as quitting drugs and refraining from possessing firearms in the future. Prosecutors plan to recommend a total of two years of probation to the court. Originally, tax evasion can carry a maximum sentence of 12 months, and illegal firearm possession can result in up to 10 years in prison.

Hunter’s attorney, Christopher Clark, stated, “The announcement of the agreement between my client and the Delaware U.S. Attorney’s Office resolves the five-year investigation related to him,” adding, “I know that Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for the mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction.” White House spokesperson Ian Sams said in a statement, “The President and First Lady love their son and support him as he rebuilds his life,” and added, “We will have no further comment.”

This indictment is expected to have an immediate effect on President Biden’s chances of winning re-election in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Various incidents involving his son Hunter Biden have long been considered a political vulnerability for President Biden. Hunter Biden is the only surviving child among the two sons and one daughter born to President Biden and his late first wife, Neilia. He has struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for decades and has been involved in personal scandals, including allegations of an affair with his late brother Beau Biden’s widow following Beau’s death.

The New York Times (NYT) emphasized that “unless there is a last-minute variable, the investigation into Hunter Biden will end without a prison sentence,” but stressed that politically, this case is far from over. The Republican Party has already voiced opposition. James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, criticized the outcome as a “slap on the wrist.”