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Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, is set to plead guilty to federal charges on Wednesday, according to court documents.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) charged Hunter Biden with failure to pay federal income tax and illegally possessing a weapon. His legal team has reached a deal with federal prosecutors that will allow him to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses, and he is expected to reach a deal with prosecutors on the felony charge of illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user, the Associated Press reported Tuesday morning.
It comes as Hunter Biden continues to face legal scrutiny from House Republicans over his business dealings and one week after former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty in the DOJ's classified documents investigation. As Biden and Trump prepare for a potential rematch in the 2024 presidential race, Trump's legal woes have made headlines in recent weeks. The deal avoids a trial for Hunter Biden that would likely dominate news cycles.
The deal will allow Biden to avoid prosecution on a charge of illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user so long as he adheres to conditions set by prosecutors, according to the AP. More specific details about the agreements remained unknown Tuesday morning.
Any plea deal would need to be approved by a federal judge, and it remained unclear whether the president's 53-year-old son would himself appear in court to enter the plea.
The deal will conclude the yearslong investigation into the younger Biden for alleged tax offenses and making false statements while purchasing a firearm that first opened under former President Donald Trump's administration. His attorneys met with the DOJ last month, an indication the investigation was concluding.
Christopher Clark, an attorney for Hunter Biden, told the AP: "I know Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life. He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward."
The gun charge states that Biden possessed a Colt Cobra 38 special handgun despite knowing he was a drug user in October 2018. The tax charges are in relation to his alleged failure to pay his taxes in 2017 and 2018.
White House spokesperson Ian Sams wrote in a statement that President Biden would not comment on the specific charges, CBS News reported.
"The President and First Lady love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life. We will have no further comment," the statement reads.
Karoline Leavitt, the spokesperson for the Trump-aligned Make America Great Again Inc. super PAC, responded to the deal in a statement.
"As President Trump predicted, Biden's Justice Department is cutting a sweetheart deal with Hunter Biden in order to make their bogus case to 'Get Trump' appear fair," Leavitt tweeted. "Meanwhile, Biden's DOJ continues to turn a blind eye to the Biden family's extensive corruption and bribery scheme. The American people need President Trump back in office to appoint a truly independent special prosecutor that will finally bring justice."
The DOJ investigation is separate from the probes Hunter Biden faces from House Republicans involving his business dealings. Republicans have said his business affairs with foreign countries including Ukraine and China amount to corruption. They have accused him and other Biden family members of receiving millions of dollars from foreign sources while Biden served as vice president from 2009 to 2017.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for further comment.
Update 06/20/23, 10:42 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more