On Thursday, President Joe Biden‘s son, Hunter Biden, was indicted on nine tax charges in California. 

The new charges – three felonies and six misdemeanors –  have been filed in addition to federal firearms charges in Delaware, which allege that Hunter lied about his drug use to purchase a firearm, which he possessed for a brief period in 2018.

Federal law prohibits gun possession by “habitual drug users.”

Still, its application as a standalone charge has been questioned by a federal appeals court. The collapse of a previous plea deal over the summer has set the stage for a potential trial while Hunter’s father campaigns for reelection.

Special Counsel David Weiss stated that Hunter “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills.”

The charges primarily center around approximately $1.4 million in unpaid taxes that Hunter owed between 2016 and 2019, a period in which he publicly acknowledged his struggles with addiction. If convicted,  Hunter, 43, could face a maximum sentence of  17 years.

The White House has declined to comment on the indictment and directed inquiries to the Justice Department and Hunter’s personal representatives.

The documents in California highlight Hunter’s expenditures on drugs, strippers, luxury hotels and exotic cars. The prosecutor remarked that everything but his taxes was prioritized.

Meanwhile, Congressional Republicans have launched an impeachment inquiry into President Biden and allege his involvement in an influence-peddling scheme with his son.

The House is expected to vote on the formal authorization of the inquiry next week. However, thus far, no evidence has emerged to substantiate claims that Joe Biden abused his position or accepted bribes.

The separate criminal investigation into Hunter had been anticipated to conclude with a plea deal, under which he would have received two years of probation after he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor tax charges, and thereby avoided prosecution on the gun-related charge if he maintained a clean record.

This agreement faced heavy criticism from Republicans, including former President Donald Trump.

Hunter’s defense team has argued that the plea agreement’s provisions remain valid since they were signed by a prosecutor before the deal’s cancellation. However, prosecutors disagree, asserting that the documents lack the necessary judicial signatures, which renders them invalid. 

Prosecutors have stated that despite his personal challenges, Biden’s gross income totaled approximately $7 million between 2016 and 2020. Biden eventually filed his taxes in 2020 while he concurrently dealt with a child support case in Arkansas and the taxes were paid by a third party, as detailed in court documents.

Hunter recently agreed to publicly testify before the House Committee investigating his activities but GOP leaders insisted that he do it in private.

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