WASHINGTON — Hunter Biden’s deal on Tuesday to resolve federal taxes and gun charges resulted in a five-year criminal investigation and likely avoided jail time, but opened the door to an intensified congressional investigation and to new political attacks on President Joe Biden.
President and First Lady Jill Biden voiced her support for Hunter Biden on Tuesday, after officials announced he would plead guilty to tax charges and resolve a firearms offence. Republican lawmakers and former President Donald Trump have claimed the case was politicized and amounted to a “love” deal for a member of the president’s family.
Here are five takeaways from the accusations:
Plea bargain covers two counts of tax evasion
David Weiss, the U.S. attorney from Delaware who investigated Hunter Biden for five years, announced he was charged with two counts of willfully failing to pay federal income tax.
Biden reportedly received at least $1.5 million each year in 2017 and 2018 but did not pay taxes, court records show.
The Justice Department is expected to recommend probation, although a federal judge will review the deal, an unnamed source told The Associated Press.
Biden agrees to gun readiness program
The gun charge alleges Biden possessed a gun in 2018, a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver, despite his drug addiction, which is a violation of federal law. Biden agreed to a pretrial diversion program, which could eventually lead to the charge being dismissed.
The Gun Control Act prohibits people who use drugs from owning guns. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ruled that the ban applies to “a conviction for use or possession of a controlled substance within the past year.”
Biden filled out a federal form when he purchased a handgun in October 2018 in which he answered “no” to a question about whether he was “an illegal user or addicted to marijuana or any depressant, stimulant , narcotic or other controlled substance,” according to the Washington Post. According to his own account in his memoir “Beautiful Things,” Biden struggled with drug addiction and for periods in 2018 and smoked crack “every 15 minutes.”
Biden’s attorney, Christopher Clark, said the president’s son will take responsibility for “mistakes he made during a time of turmoil and addiction in his life. He looks forward to continuing his recovery and to move forward”.
GOP reaction: “A slap on the wrist”
House Republicans led by Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., have argued that Hunter Biden peddled influence on the administration through lucrative business deals and the sale of art. Comer pledged to continue the investigation, despite the plea deal.
“Hunter Biden gets off with a slap on the wrist when mounting evidence unearthed by the House Oversight Committee reveals the Bidens are engaged in a pattern of bribery, influence peddling and possibly bribery. de-wine,” Comer said. “These charges against Hunter Biden and the love plea deal have no impact on the Oversight Committee’s investigation. We will not rest until the extent of President Biden’s involvement in the schemes of the family will not be revealed.”
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Weiss, the US attorney who led the investigation, was appointed by Trump. Weiss oversaw the plea deal for the tax charges and the diversion deal for the gun charge.
Rep. Dan Goldman, DN.Y., a House staffer for Trump’s first impeachment, said the charges will hold Hunter Biden accountable for any charges that may be proven during a “full investigation.” who “found no wrongdoing related to President Biden, further.” debunking rumors, hearsay and innuendo from House Republicans.”
Trump, facing his own indictments, campaigns on Hunter Biden case
Trump attacked President Biden over the charges and claimed political patronage in the way they were resolved.
“People are going wild over the Hunter Biden scam with the DOJ!” Trump said in a Truth Social article. He said in another post that the Justice Department gave Hunter Biden “a simple ‘ticket.’ Our system is BROKEN!”
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 37 federal charges relating to classified documents and 34 New York State charges of allegedly falsifying business documents.
Hunter Biden’s recovery: Hunter Biden’s drug use is back in the public eye as criminal charges may be imminent
White House: Joe Biden supports his son and does not touch a criminal case
The White House said President Biden did not discuss his son’s investigation with Attorney General Merrick Garland or the Justice Department. Biden dismissed the corruption allegations, calling them “malarkey.”
“The President and First Lady love and support their son as he continues to rebuild his life,” White House spokesman Ian Sams said in a statement.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 5 takeaways from Hunter Biden’s deal on tax charges and gun offenses