Hunter Biden departing from Federal Court. Yahoo News/AP.
Hunter Biden has been convicted on federal firearms charges. Yahoo News. Joe Biden's son was charged with three federal firearms charges including one count of lying to a federally licensed gun dealer, one count of lying on a background check form and possession of an illegally obtained firearm. He was convicted on all three counts after a short jury deliberation. The charges could lead to 25 years in prison and a fine of $750,000, though as a first time offender it would be extremely unlikely that Hunter Biden would serve the complete sentence, or possibly any prison time at all. Hunter Biden purchased a revolver at a time when he was addicted to crack cocaine. Biden had made a "sweetheart deal" to avoid the gun charges but the plea was rejected by the judge. Joe Biden said he supported his son and also wouldn't pardon him.
My Comment:
I've got pretty mixed feelings about this case. I do think that it was incredibly obvious that Hunter Biden obviously broke the laws he was charged with. There was no question that Biden lied about being on drugs when he purchased his handgun. Both his book and the various leaks from the "laptop from hell" clearly showed him using crack cocaine around the time he purchased the gun. It was an open and shut case.
The biggest problem is that the law itself is unconstitutional. Indeed, cases are working their way through the court that could get form ATF 4473 either removed entirely or revised to remove the part about being a drug addict. I personally think that drug addicts still have gun rights and that even Hunter Biden has rights to keep and bear arms.
I also hate the political implications of this case. The left is already trying to paint this case as justifying the persecution of Donald Trump. They are trying to claim that because Hunter Biden got convicted it proves that the Trump trial was fair. Indeed, that's probably why the case was brought in the first place.
Does it hurt Joe Biden? Probably not, just like the Trump trial didn't really hurt Trump. Hunter Biden being a drug addict was common knowledge at this point and it's already baked in. Partisans aren't going to care either way and the people in the middle aren't going to care too much that Biden's son is a scumbag. Everyone already knows and Biden being convicted won't change much. The only good thing for Biden is that the political corruption revealed in Hunter Biden's "laptop from hell" won't be litigated.
I doubt that Hunter Biden actually goes to prison. He's a first time offender and there is no minimum sentence for the crimes he committed and as a non-violent and politically connected person I'd be shocked if he serves any time in prison at all. I'm guessing he gets a fine and some form of Federal probation, not prison time.
I also have to point out that the charges that Biden was convicted on are only rarely filed, and usually only when they want to throw the book at someone. Lying on ATF form 4473 is pretty common and very few people are actually charged with it. Had Hunter Biden not been so blatant with his drug use and if there hadn't been a political outcry about his drug use I doubt he would have been charged with this crime either.
Still, it is good to see some punishment for someone like Hunter Biden. He got away with a lot because of who his father is and it is good to see someone from the Biden family actually get punished for something, even if it is for a crime I consider to be a joke. Biden's behavior was beyond the pale and he deserved to face at least some consequences.
As for Joe Biden, I do wonder if he will end up pardoning Hunter. I am guessing it depends on what happens at the sentencing. If the judge threw the book at Hunter Biden and gave him the maximum sentence or close to it, something I seriously doubt happening, I could see it. But since I doubt Hunter Biden is going to serve even a day in prison I am guessing it won't happen. Hunter Biden's tax case is another matter though...
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