Los Angeles, California – Lawyers representing Hunter Biden urged a judge in federal court on Wednesday to dismiss tax charges against him, claiming that the prosecution is driven by political motives. Biden’s legal team argued that the case was initiated in response to pressure from Republican lawmakers following the collapse of an earlier plea deal.
During the hearing, Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, emphasized the irregularity of the investigation and asserted that the prosecution was far from standard procedure. Biden himself waived his right to appeal and was not present at the proceedings.
The judge, U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi, listened to arguments from both sides regarding various motions filed in recent weeks. While a ruling was not expected immediately, Judge Scarsi expressed a desire for the pre-trial process to move forward swiftly.
Also present at the hearing was David Chesnoff, the attorney for Alexander Smirnov, an ex-FBI informant charged with providing false information about Hunter Biden and his father to the FBI. There are expectations that Smirnov’s case could be impacted by the developments in Biden’s trial.
Last year, federal prosecutors, led by special counsel David Weiss, brought forward nine tax-related charges against Hunter Biden, accusing him of evading at least $1.4 million in taxes. Biden pleaded not guilty to these charges in January and his legal team filed motions seeking dismissal, arguing that the case was a result of political pressure.
In response to Biden’s claims, prosecutors asserted that he fabricated a conspiracy theory to evade tax charges after a failed plea deal. They contended that political influences were not a factor in the prosecution process and that the allegations against Biden were legitimate.
In addition to the tax charges, Hunter Biden also faces federal gun charges in Delaware for allegedly possessing a gun while using narcotics. The trial for the gun charges is scheduled for June. Biden’s involvement in House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry into his father has further heightened interest in the case, with the president’s son recently providing testimony during a closed-door deposition.