Article, Politics, U.S.
Hunter Biden Probe and Trump Family Scandal
President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, has been no stranger to scandals since his father was elected President, from the laptop controversy to his current federal tax and firearm charges. Let’s break down Hunter’s current probe and compare it to the controversies surrounding former President Trump’s family.
Breakdown of Hunter Biden’s Tax and Firearm Probe
On June 20th, 2023, the United States Attorney for the District of Delaware charged Hunter Biden with two misdemeanor tax offenses and one felony firearm offense.
The tax offense involved Hunter Biden not paying his income taxes for 2017 and 2018, each over $100,000. His annual taxable income in those years exceeded $1.5 million. As for the firearm charge, Hunter Biden possessed a firearm in October 2018 when he knew he was an unlawful user of it and was addicted to a controlled substance. Hunter Biden has had a history of alcohol addiction and illegal drugs such as crack, which he has spoken about in several interviews.
When charged, Biden agreed to plea guilty to the tax charge, with him entering a pre-trial diversion agreement for the firearm charge.
What Are the Latest Updates on the Biden Trial?
On August 15th, Chris Clark, the defense lawyer in his tax case, withdrew from representing Biden. Clark helped negotiate the plea agreement, which was ripped by US District Judge Maryellen Noreika, a Trump appointee.
Clark cited concerns that he may be called as a witness in the plea deal, and the judge is expected to sign off on his request. Hunter Biden has added Abbe Lowell, known for representing several high-profile individuals.
Meanwhile, federal prosecutors discussed the pre-trial diversion deal involving Hunter Biden’s gun charge, arguing that the agreement was not in effect despite what Hunter’s lawyers claimed.
This case is currently ongoing, with constant developments. We will update you to give you the latest information whenever possible.
About the Trump Family Scandal
While the Biden family is facing scandals and controversies, so is former President Trump and his family, and this is not referring to the current indictments.
In September 2022, New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Trump and his three children Ivanka, Donald Trump Jr. (Don Jr.) In addition, the Trump Organization and senior managers were included in the lawsuit. The lawsuit stated that everyone conspired to mislead lenders about Trump’s net worth, helping them to get more favorable loans. In addition, the suit also alleged that this inflation was for other perks such as tax benefits.
On November 2022, Trump responded to this by suing James for engaging in a harassment campaign against him, but he dropped this lawsuit in January 2023.
In April 2023, Trump was deposed for this lawsuit, and in August 2023, James’s office declared that the case was ready for trial.
This is not the only legal trouble that Trump’s children have been involved in. In 2012, Ivanka and Don Jr. faced legal trouble after the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office built a case claiming they misled prospective buyers of hotel and condo development Trump SoHo using inflated figures. However, the DA dropped this investigation due to a donation from Marc Kasowtiz, a Trump attorney.
While President Biden has had accusations of conspiring with his family, some argue that Trump’s are more blatant. In conclusion, no matter what side of the aisle you are on, be it Trump, Biden, or if you dislike both, there are some exciting lawsuits in development.
What they could mean for the future presidential election is still in development. We will keep you updated on both sides as they proceed.