Special Counsel David Weiss’ Office Refutes Claims of Political Motivation in Hunter Biden Tax Case
In a series of legal filings submitted on Friday, Special Counsel David Weiss’ office pushed back against claims made by Hunter Biden’s attorneys that the federal tax charges facing the president’s son are politically motivated. The attorneys had argued that the charges were selective and vindictive, fueled by politics and pursued to appease Republicans.
Weiss’ office dismissed these claims as conspiratorial, calling them nothing more than a house of cards. Prosecutors emphasized that former President Trump is not currently in office and questioned how President Biden, the Attorney General, or the Special Counsel and his team could be acting at the direction of Trump or Congressional Republicans.
The case against Hunter Biden involves allegations of a four-year scheme to avoid paying at least $1.4 million in federal taxes, including charges of failure to file and pay taxes, tax evasion, and filing a false tax return. Biden has pleaded not guilty to nine federal tax charges in the Central District of California.
The plea agreement on two misdemeanor tax charges and a diversion agreement from a firearms charge fell apart in court in July 2023, with the judge questioning its validity. Biden’s attorneys maintain that the agreement is legally binding, but prosecutors argue that it was never approved by U.S. Probation and was never in effect.
The investigation into Hunter Biden, led by Weiss, began during the Trump administration and continued into the Biden administration. Republican-led congressional committees have focused on Hunter Biden’s finances, with some suggesting that senior officials in the Biden administration may have impeded criminal probes into the president’s son.
In response to these inquiries, Hunter Biden has dismissed them as baseless and destructive political charades, asserting that his father had no involvement in his business dealings. Rep. James Comer has invited Hunter Biden to testify in a public hearing in March, and Biden’s attorneys have indicated they will respond in writing.
Critics of the probe argue that the GOP-led congressional committees have yet to produce any evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden. The legal battle surrounding Hunter Biden’s tax charges continues, with both sides presenting their arguments in court filings.