(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Attorneys representing Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s embattled son, have resurrected a defunct plea deal in a bid to seek the dismissal of his federal indictment related to a revolver purchase in 2018, Fox News reported on Monday.
The attorneys filed a motion on Monday arguing that the charge for the gun purchase “violates” what many referred to as a “sweetheart deal.” This deal had previously granted Hunter immunity from other charges and enabled him to avoid serving jail time.
“The Indictment against Mr. Biden must be dismissed because it violates a Diversion Agreement that is in effect between Mr. Biden and the prosecution,” wrote Hunter’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, as reported by Fox.
He added, “In exchange for Mr. Biden giving up various rights—including his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent by agreeing to the Statement of Facts drafted by the prosecution and numerous restrictions on his liberty—the prosecution agreed to provide him immunity for any offense concerning his purchase of a firearm (among other offenses).”
Hunter Biden’s team is out here arguing that the gun indictment, and perhaps the new tax indictment, must be dismissed. It maintains the sweetheart plea deal that blew up in Delaware federal court is still in effect, granting him broad immunity https://t.co/bFI9Yu7FE2 pic.twitter.com/PbFiAWr7G1
— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) December 11, 2023
In 2018, Hunter Biden purchased a gun and falsely declared that he wasn’t addicted to drugs, a statement contradicted by his subsequent admissions, including those made in his own book, Beautiful Things.
But an initial plea deal presented by prosecutors offered Hunter Biden the opportunity to plead guilty to three misdemeanors related to his tax affairs and would face no charges for the gun purchase.
However, the plea deal collapsed when Judge Maryellen Noreika probed both prosecutors and defense attorneys about whether the deal provided blanket immunity against further prosecution. While Hunter Biden claimed it did, prosecutors disagreed.
In the plea deal, prosecutors said that Hunter would not face potential charges “based on the firearm identified in the factual statement to the Diversion Agreement,” Fox reported.
“Nevertheless, the prosecution did just that, by subsequently bringing this Indictment charging Mr. Biden with three felony firearm offenses, which all relate to the firearm identified in the Diversion Agreement’s factual statement,” Lowell declared.
“Because Mr. Biden gave up valuable rights as part of this contract, in exchange for the prosecution’s promise not to prosecute him, such promise must be fulfilled,” he continued.
After the collapse of the deal, Weiss sought special counsel status from Attorney General Merrick Garland and subsequently charged Hunter Biden for neglecting tax liabilities while allegedly spending funds on various expenses, including lavish parties and other commodities.
