Hunter Biden in hot water

[Benjamin Grimm]

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Hunter Biden was convicted Tuesday of all three felony charges related to the purchase of a revolver in 2018 when, prosecutors argued, the president’s son lied on a mandatory gun-purchase form by saying he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs.

Hunter Biden stared straight ahead and showed little emotion as the verdict was read after jurors deliberated for three hours over two days. He hugged his attorneys, smiled wanly and kissed his wife, Melissa, before leaving the courtroom with her.

He faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, though first-time offenders do not get anywhere near the maximum, and it’s unclear whether she would give him time behind bars. The judge did not set a sentencing date.

[metirish]

President Biden said in an interview with David Muir last week that no pardon would be forthcoming, as should be the case .

[MFS62]

Hunter Biden also faces Tax charges, in a trial to be heard later this year.

Later

[nymr83]

President Biden said in an interview with David Muir last week that no pardon would be forthcoming, as should be the case .

Yeah, not that either candidate could sink much lower in approval ratings but pardoning a family member is more of a "last day of the second term" type move.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I suppose the president may change his tune on this if he loses in November.

Or also, perhaps, if he wins.

[Edgy MD]

I certainly hope no jail time is on the line anyhow.

On the other hand, Judge Noreika already throw out a plea bargain, forcing this case to be tried, so she may very well planning to lock the guy up.

[TransMonk]

That's it.

I won't be voting for Hunter Biden in the fall.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Lol

[nymr83]

I certainly hope no jail time is on the line anyhow.

On the other hand, Judge Noreika already throw out a plea bargain, forcing this case to be tried, so she may very well planning to lock the guy up.

Why do you hope there is no jail time?

Frankly, I would like to see jail time for his sister in law - dumping a gun in a dumpster behind a school SHOULD be the biggest crime here.

[Edgy MD]

Because that's generally the way the system works.

I mean, if can be demonstrated that guys with similar records convicted of similar crimes are getting time, give him time. My experience says that's not so, but I only know so much.

[nymr83]

I don't disagree with that at all, I just would have assumed there was typically jail time here

[Frayed Knot]

The crime was lying on federal forms to obtain the gun. Not sure how often that kind of crime even comes up.
I'd certainly want there to be some kind of punishment for connected citizens deciding that rules and regs don't
apply to them, whether that punishment involves jail time or not.

[Edgy MD]

I don't disagree with that at all, I just would have assumed there was typically jail time here

Well, it's obviously up to the judge, and I expect that is significant, not merely because the former president who appointed her has a very questionable record on putting his own idea of loyalty and politics ahead of more traditional judicial qualities, but because she already threw out a plea bargain that the government had agreed upon.

That said, he didn't use the gun in connection with another crime, he is a non-violent offender, he owned it apparently for less than two weeks, he has no prior record, and he has cooperated with terms of his pretrial release, including monthly drug testing. Those are mitigating factors that should, and typically do, feed into the sentencing.

One key thing that works against him is that the gun was found in and removed from his car, which strikes me as carrying, rather than merely owning the gun. That sort of makes the "possession" charge more than technical, and it clearly made him a more dangerous citizen, holding the law in deeper contempt.

Opinions seem to vary on what he faces at sentencing.

[Fman99]

This whole thing makes me want to drink a Billy Beer.

[Frayed Knot]

This whole thing makes me want to drink a Billy Beer.

Or nine.

[metsmarathon]

Gee. You’d think that with biden calling all the shots for every judge and jury everywhere, he coulda gotten his own dang son unconvicted.

[Edgy MD]

In Wilmington, no less.

[Lefty Specialist]

99% of the time this would have been pled out. Normally this would only be an adjunct charge at trial if a crime were committed with the gun, not a standalone charge. It only went to trial because of political pressure.

You'd think Republicans would be against any verdict that says someone CAN'T own a gun, but there ya go.

[MFS62]

You'd think Republicans would be against any verdict that says someone CAN'T own a gun, but there ya go.

Then they're going to go ratshit bonkers (as compared to their usual bonkers) when DT has to surrender the guns has registered in his name because he is a convicted felon and can't own any.

Later

[whippoorwill]

Lol can’t wait for that comedy drama

[metirish]

This is some bullshit right there , expected though

[metsmarathon]

what, that? that's just the sound of pandora's box opening. no biggie.

so... i feel like we're gonna need a new constitutional amendment that limits the ability of the president to pardon those in his family, administration, and orbit.

provided we survive the next four years as a functioning constitutional republic, or whatever our form of government is supposed to be.

[metsmarathon]

also, yes, i do realize that without the pardon, the incoming administration would likely have sought the death penalty for hunters transgressions. so whaddayagonnado?!

[metirish]

what, that? that's just the sound of pandora's box opening. no biggie.

so... i feel like we're gonna need a new constitutional amendment that limits the ability of the president to pardon those in his family, administration, and orbit.

provided we survive the next four years as a functioning constitutional republic, or whatever our form of government is supposed to be.

This 💯

[Bob Alpacadaca]

...unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. ... I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice

If Biden is using this rationale, then he should also pardon Trump and urge the governors of New York and Georgia do the same. I don't think a federal pardon would cover state charges. This would help the sitting president. It would show that the era of "lawfare" and weaponizing the judicial process is bad for both sides and should stop. This also helps the prosecutors, as the possibility exists that Trump will win those cases either on appeal or outright. A preemptive pardon would save them from defeat and looking like the former president was targeted for political reasons. Everyone moves on.