Hunter Biden may potentially go to trial in Delaware for federal firearms charges as early as June, during his father's reelection campaign.
The tentative date was set by US District Judge Maryellen Noreika during a brief telephonic hearing on Wednesday. Noreika is currently considering various defense motions that could potentially disrupt any upcoming trial against the president's son.
Hunter Biden's Gun Case Trial
The trial will start on June 3 and may continue for up to nine days. Another trial for tax charges against him in California is currently scheduled to start later that month.
Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, entered a plea of not guilty for allegedly providing false information about his drug use on a gun purchase form he retained for approximately 11 days in October 2018. He has admitted to struggling with crack cocaine addiction during that time, but his legal team has argued that his actions did not warrant criminal charges and that a first-time offender in a similar situation would not have been prosecuted.
He was indicted after a plea arrangement that would have settled the issue without a trial failed in July 2023 when a judge who was meant to accept it raised doubts.
Hunter Biden's attorneys have tried to dismiss the case, claiming that prosecutors caved to political pressure when Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, called the accord a "sweetheart deal."
Defense attorney Abbe Lowell said Wednesday that immunity clauses from the original accord still apply. Noreika said she hadn't determined how to handle the case's four requests to dismiss but wanted to keep trial time on her schedule.
However, prosecutors say the case is not politically motivated, the evidence against him is "overwhelming" and the immunity bargain blew up with the plea offer.
Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to unrelated Los Angeles tax charges alleging a four-year conspiracy to evade $1.4 million in taxes while living lavishly.
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Republicans' Request For Public Hearing
Meanwhile, Hunter Biden has decided not to participate in a public hearing regarding the House impeachment inquiry into his father, President Joe Biden, which is set for next week, as communicated by his legal team to lawmakers on Wednesday.
Lowell stated in a letter to House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., that his client will not be attending the public impeachment hearing scheduled for March 20, referring to it as a "carnival side show."
"Your latest step-this March 6 invitation-is not a serious oversight proceeding. It is your attempt to resuscitate your Conference's moribund inquiry with a made-for-right-wing-media, circus act," Lowell said in the letter.
Last week, an invitation was sent by Rep. James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, which included three of Biden's former business associates, all of whom are currently facing their own legal challenges.
The committee has been conducting a 14-month investigation into the Biden family, with a primary focus on Hunter Biden's activities in countries like Ukraine and China. Lawmakers have uncovered ethically questionable behavior by the president's son and other family members, but Republicans have not found evidence of misconduct by Joe Biden during his time in public office.
Declining the invitation occurred following Hunter Biden and his lawyer's preference for a public hearing over a private deposition, expressing worries about GOP lawmakers distorting his interview. Both parties eventually reached an agreement to conduct a private testimony before proceeding to a public hearing.
