Hunter Biden’s legal team has launched a robust defense against federal tax charges, filing motions in federal court to dismiss the case in California. They argue that the charges violate a diversion agreement made between Hunter Biden and prosecutors last year, alleging that the prosecution is politically motivated and vindictive.
In January, Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to nine federal tax charges, including tax evasion, failure to file and pay taxes, and filing a false tax return. Prosecutors claimed he engaged in a four-year scheme to avoid paying at least $1.4 million in federal taxes, funding an “extravagant lifestyle.”
The legal filings, spanning 56 pages, detail Hunter Biden’s defense strategy. His attorneys assert a pattern of the Justice Department changing charging decisions over six years, accusing them of reacting to political pressure and self-interest.
Hunter Biden (Credits: NBC News)
They claim that the indictment includes “salacious” details about personal expenditures, arguing they are irrelevant to the law and aim to tarnish Hunter Biden’s character.
Furthermore, Hunter Biden’s legal team challenges the lawfulness of special counsel David Weiss’ appointment and alleges that the investigation’s funding lacked congressional approval, violating the Appropriations Clause.
The investigation, spanning six years, began during the Trump administration and continued into the Biden administration. The investigation into Hunter Biden’s personal finances and foreign business dealings has been a focal point for Republican-led congressional committees.
Their inquiries largely focus on whether senior Biden administration officials hindered criminal probes into Hunter Biden and if he personally gained from family-brokered foreign business deals. Hunter Biden denies any financial involvement by his father in his business dealings.
IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, formerly assigned to the investigation, testified that they recommended federal charges against Hunter Biden for tax violations.
They alleged that Weiss initially denied special counsel status, claimed he was not the decision-maker for charges, revealing what they considered “an undeniable pattern of preferential treatment.”
Hunter Biden’s legal counsel also contends that IRS whistleblowers engaged in a “public media campaign” to pressure prosecutors into bringing charges. They argue this violated Hunter Biden’s due process rights by disclosing confidential tax information.
As the legal battle unfolds, Hunter Biden is scheduled to appear before Republican-led House Committees on Oversight and Accountability and on the Judiciary for a closed-door interview.
House Republicans continue their impeachment inquiry into President Biden, though the White House dismisses it as a “baseless political stunt.”
The outcome of Hunter Biden’s legal proceedings will likely impact the political landscape and the ongoing scrutiny into the Biden family’s financial affairs.
