A former United States Attorney said the Justice Department violated its rules when it reached a plea bargain with Hunter Biden over tax evasion and firearms charges.
Former U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman stated on Twitter that the DOJ had violated internal policies in the investigation. According to a directive issued by former Attorney General John Ashcroft, federal prosecutors are expected to charge and pursue the most severe offenses determined by evidence and the facts of a case and seek sentences consistent with those sought in other cases brought by the DOJ.
According to Tolman, this case is a mockery. He said the government is going against decades of policy and practice by going after felonies rather than misdemeanors and trying to get sentences inside the guideline range. The DOJ laughed at everyone who wasn’t politically connected because of the felony diversion agreement.
Tolman said DOJ prosecutors have arrested and charged thousands of people under Project Safe Neighborhoods, all in accordance with federal law. According to him, they take pride in most firearms convictions, resulting in five years of prison. Hunter faces at least five years in federal jail if they follow the laws, but because he is a Biden, that sentence will likely be reduced.
Tolman went on to say that this action is startling and amounts to the most blatant hypocrisy, which screams to the level of injustice many people have suffered at the hands of the DOJ. The politicization of prosecution has been widely acknowledged, and now everyone can see it for themselves. Consistency and fairness become irrelevant when absolute power is granted without accountability or transparency.
The DOJ has been contacted for comment.
Attorney General Merrick Garland was pressed for details on the case on Wednesday. But he seemed to be distancing himself from the probe. As he has stated since the day he was sworn in as Attorney General, Garland told reporters that he would leave the case with the U.S. Attorney of Delaware, David Weiss.
On Tuesday, it was announced that Hunter Biden, 53, had reached a plea bargain to admit guilt for the minor tax infractions. As long as he abides by the terms of the arrangement, he will not face criminal charges related to illegally having a firearm while under the influence of drugs.
While in California for a meeting on another matter, President Biden was asked about the development, to which he told reporters he is very proud of his son.
According to a statement released by the White House counsel’s office, President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden love and support their son as he works to restore the pieces of his life.
Hunter will enter a guilty plea to charges that could send him to prison for up to a year for not paying taxes on over $1.5 million in income in 2017 and 2018. Unofficial sources indicated that the back taxes had been paid.
According to the gun accusation, Hunter Biden had a Colt Cobra.38 Special in his possession for 11 days in October 2018 while being conscious that he was a drug user. The maximum sentence for the infrequently filed count is ten years in prison. The Justice Department, however, claimed that Hunter Biden had settled the case before trial. The case will be removed from his record if he fulfills the requirements.
Hunter Biden’s attorney Christopher Clark released a statement saying the investigation, which had lasted five years, had finally concluded. Clark said he is confident Hunter recognizes the significance of owning up to the errors he made throughout his struggles with substance abuse. He is eager to keep improving and go on with his life.
Clark declined to respond when asked for a statement regarding the agreement.
In light of the new allegations against former President Donald Trump, Republicans have claimed that the plea bargain was crafted to offer the younger Biden a sweetheart deal that shows a two-tiered judicial system in the United States. They also cited Weiss’s public statement as the U.S. Attorney in Delaware, in which he confirmed that the investigation is still active.
On Tuesday, Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters that he believes Weiss’s statement about an ongoing investigation suggests federal officials are trying to avoid sharing information about Biden’s family to Congress that might potentially damage him politically.