On Wednesday, September 6, the United States Justice Department announced that special counsel David Weiss would pursue an indictment against Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, in connection with gun-related charges later this month.
Previously, Hunter Biden had entered into an agreement involving a gun possession charge, which could have allowed him to avoid prosecution if he complied with specific conditions over a 24-month period. However, the fate of this gun-related deal became uncertain after his plea agreement fell apart in court.
According to a court filing from the special counsel’s office, “The Speedy Trial Act requires that the Government obtain the return of an indictment by a grand jury by Friday, September 29, 2023, at the earliest. The Government intends to seek the return of an indictment in this case before that date.”
In July, the 53-year-old Hunter Biden’s proposed plea bargain to resolve both tax and gun charges unraveled. This marked the first instance in which a sitting president’s child faced charges from the Justice Department.
Special Counsel David Weiss, who was appointed to his position by US Attorney General Merrick Garland in August, explained in the court filing that the grand jury indictment would be pursued under the Speedy Trial Act, setting a deadline of September 29 for this new indictment.
Hunter Biden faces a felony gun charge for possessing a firearm unlawfully while being a drug user.
In response to the court filing, Hunter Biden’s legal team asserted that the president’s son had been adhering to the terms of the diversion agreement, which had been approved by a probation office. This agreement requires him to stay out of legal trouble for a two-year period.
Meanwhile, House Republicans initiated their first formal request for documents related to the now-defunct plea agreement from Hunter Biden’s attorneys, as reported by CNN.
In a letter addressed to Hunter Biden’s lawyers, the committee chairs stated, “Should you refuse to provide the Committee with the requested information because of any purported privilege, the Committee may need to seek testimony from you and/or Hunter Biden regarding the disclosure of these documents and communications.”
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