On the day his eldest son’s criminal trial got underway in Delaware, US President Joe Biden voiced out his unwavering pride and affection for his son, Hunter, as a father would. America’s First Lady, Jill Biden, made her way to the Wilmington court on Monday morning for the initial proceedings of Hunter Biden’s federal indictment related to illicit firearm possession, with potential penalties reaching up to a decade in prison. This is a first in American history where a president’s offspring is standing trial.
In a statement released on Monday, Biden explained, “I may serve as the president, but at my core, I’m a father. Jill and I hold great affection for our son, and are justified in the pride we feel for the man he’s become. The fortitude Hunter has displayed in navigating challenges and the willpower he’s shown in his path to recovery are truly commendable. In my role as the president, it’s inappropriate for me to discuss impending federal charges. However, as a father, my love, faith, and admiration for my son remain limitless.”
While his son faces tough times, President Biden is slated to leave for an official tour of France on Wednesday. There’s no denial from Hunter regarding the acquisition of the handgun in the month of October in 2018. The prosecution, nonetheless, intends to prove that he intentionally provided false information on the forms needed to purchase a firearm—documents which require the buyer to assure that they have no drug addiction.
While Biden acquired the firearm for a mere eleven days and it remained unused, the defense is focusing on defending his innocence based on medical and possibly even ideological grounds, arguing that when he completed the purchase paperwork, he didn’t see himself as an addict.
However, the prosecution aims to provide evidence of his struggles with addiction at the time of purchasing the Colt Cobra handgun from passages in his memoir, Beautiful Things, and text messages where he admitted waiting for a dealer and sleeping on a car while smoking crack in mid-October 2018.
Even though the chances are slim, a last-minute plea agreement might take place between involved parties in this case. Last summer, there were attempts to seal such an agreement, but they ended dramatically. There was a mutual agreement that Biden would accept a misdemeanor tax offense to evade being prosecuted over arms charges. Unfortunately, this agreement did not receive approval from Delaware’s United States District Judge, Maryellen Noreika. When no common ground could be reached on the scope of protection against future prosecutions, the discussions fell apart.
Merrick Garland, the attorney general chosen by President Biden, named David Weiss as special counsel in August of the previous year. This decision was in the public’s best interest as it supported “unprecedented circumstances surrounding this case.” The trial is set against the backdrop of an already contentious verdict against ex-president Donald Trump, issued in Manhattan court. The decision seems politically charged, splitting opinions along party lines. Many veteran law enforcement officials argue that this particular set of charges against Biden is unusual, and the constitutional foundation of the whole prosecution process is in question.
This trial, projected to last a week at the most, will necessitate the Biden family, including three of the defendant’s past romantic partners, to recount intimate and distressing experiences. Hallie Biden, widowed by President Biden’s other son Beau who passed away from cancer in 2015, is expected to play a seminal role. The prosecutors hint that Hallie Biden will verify that Hunter Biden resided at her place during the 2018 fall, when she constantly discovered him in possession of drug-related items. Kathleen Buhle, who was wedded to Biden from 1993 to 2017, is predicted to provide evidence concerning her ex-husband’s addiction issues, whereas another woman will testify to witnessing the defendant’s repeated use of crack cocaine.
The legal team representing the beleaguered eldest son was dealt another blow on Sunday evening as Judge Noreika refused to let them submit a variant of the firearms application into the proceedings, an item they intended to present as manipulated or tampered with. It’s anticipated that if a guilty verdict is delivered regarding their client, the Biden squad will contest the decision. Furthermore, Hunter Biden is slated to stand trial on separate accusations of neglecting to clear tax debts amounting to $1.4 million (€1.28 million), with proceedings set to commence in California come September.