US President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, has been charged with illegal weapons possession. In the indictment brought by a so-called grand jury in the state of Delaware, the 53-year-old is accused of briefly owning a revolver in 2018, even though he was prohibited from doing so as a drug user. Hunter Biden also provided false information to the arms dealer in order to be able to buy the Colt.
The three-count indictment is likely to harm President Biden, who is seeking a second term in the White House next year. But it doesn’t come as a surprise: The special investigator responsible for the case, David Weiss, had already announced last week that he was planning to indict the president’s son later this month.
Hunter Biden actually admitted to illegal gun possession and tax crimes in June as part of an agreement with the Delaware federal prosecutor’s office. In return for pleading guilty to both cases, he would only receive a light sentence and would also be spared a trial.
But the deal collapsed in July after the judge responsible questioned its contents. Hunter Biden subsequently pleaded not guilty. In August, US Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Delaware Federal Prosecutor Weiss, who had been investigating Hunter Biden since 2019, as special prosecutor.
He has now brought charges against the 53-year-old for illegal possession of weapons. The tax case in Delaware was closed but will be reopened elsewhere.
Hunter Biden has been a political burden for his father for years – and is likely to become so with a view to the presidential election in November 2024. The opposition Republicans accuse the 53-year-old of having in the past exploited his father’s important position as Vice President of Barack Obama (2009 to 2017) for business in Ukraine and China.
On Tuesday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, ordered “a formal impeachment investigation” into President Biden in connection with his son’s business activities. However, it is still unclear whether there will actually be impeachment proceedings against Biden.
Hunter Biden is a lawyer and worked as a businessman for a long time. He has openly admitted to having suffered from serious drug problems in the past. He has been working as an artist for several years.
