In a significant setback for Hunter Biden, US District Judge Mark Scarsi denied all eight of the first son's motions to dismiss his nine-count tax indictment in California late Monday, setting the stage for a June 20 trial. The ruling dealt a blow to Biden's legal team, led by attorney Abbe Lowell, who had argued that the charges were "selective and vindictive" and that prosecutors had succumbed to political pressure.
Lowell, in a statement following the ruling, expressed strong disagreement with the court's decision and vowed to continue vigorously pursuing Biden's challenges to the "abnormal way" in which special counsel David Weiss handled the investigation and charged the case. The attorney's comments highlight the contentious nature of the proceedings and the high stakes involved for both sides.
In his 82-page ruling, Judge Scarsi, a Trump appointee serving in the Central District of California, systematically rejected each of Biden's arguments for dismissal. The first son had claimed that an immunity stipulation from a failed plea deal last summer remained in effect and that the tax charges violated the terms of the diversion agreement. He also accused prosecutors of attempting to "backtrack and renege" on the deal.
However, special counsel Weiss, who was elevated to his role last August after the plea deal imploded, fired back at Biden's arguments in court filings, characterizing them as a "conspiracy theory," a "house of cards," and "shapeshifting claims." Weiss maintained that it was Biden, not prosecutors, who walked away from negotiations after the July 26 hearing where the deal fell apart.
The special counsel's office charged Hunter Biden in December with nine felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from his failure to pay $1.4 million in taxes over three years, during a time when he was struggling with addiction. Although the back taxes and penalties have since been paid in full by a third party, identified by ABC News as Biden's attorney and confidant Kevin Morris, the first son has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In his ruling, Judge Scarsi panned Lowell's scathing flurry of motions to dismiss the tax charges, even flagging a few factual errors in some of the briefs. "Politicians take credit for many things over which they have no power and have made no impact," Scarsi wrote. "Just because someone says they influenced a prosecutorial decision does not mean that they did."
The judge's decision clears the way for a June 20 trial in California, where jury selection is slated to commence. Meanwhile, Hunter Biden is also facing a separate trial in Delaware over gun charges, tentatively set for June 3. His attorney is attempting to get those charges tossed out as well.
As the legal battles continue, the outcome of these trials could have significant implications not only for Hunter Biden personally but also for the broader political landscape. The first son's legal troubles have been a source of controversy and have drawn intense scrutiny from both sides of the aisle.
With Judge Scarsi's ruling, special counsel Weiss has secured a significant victory in his pursuit of the tax charges against Hunter Biden. The decision underscores the challenges faced by the first son's legal team as they seek to mount a defense against what they perceive as an "abnormal" prosecution.
