Hunter Biden's Rorschach test
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Hunter Biden's guilty plea to misdemeanor tax charges, which will allow him to avoid prosecution on a gun charge after two years of probation, has produced political ammunition for both sides:
- For Democrats, the charges brought by a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney undermine Republican claims that the Justice Department has been "weaponized" against President Biden's political opponents.
- For Republicans, the guilty plea — which will likely allow Hunter Biden to avoid prison time — is a "sweetheart deal" that reinforces the need for GOP-led investigations into the Biden family's alleged corruption.
Why it matters: Conservative claims of a "two-tiered" justice system are at the heart of the House GOP agenda and former President Trump's 2024 campaign. The timing of Hunter Biden's plea deal — one week after Trump's arraignment in federal court — is likely to super-charge that narrative.
What they're saying: "If you are the president's leading political opponent, the DOJ tries to literally put you in jail and give you prison time. If you are the president's son, you get a sweetheart deal," House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told reporters.
- McCarthy and other Republicans vowed to continue aggressively investigating the Bidens, including unsubstantiated allegations of bribery that they say are far more serious than the tax and gun charges.
- House Oversight ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said the charges against the son of a sitting president reflect the DOJ's "continued institutional independence in following the evidence of actual crimes."
Reality check: The tax charges brought against Hunter Biden rarely result in jail time for first-time offenders, according to legal analysts.
- Lying on a gun-purchase form is also exceedingly rare as a primary charge, according to a Washington Post analysis of hundreds of prosecutions.
- Unlike Hunter Biden, Trump reportedly rejected his lawyers' proposal to seek a settlement with DOJ to avoid the federal charges he now faces, which include obstruction of justice and violations of the Espionage Act.
Between the lines: Hunter Biden's lawyer Chris Clark told MSNBC that he believes the investigation — which spanned five years — is now over.
- Clark added he would not have made a plea deal if he believed more charges were coming, including any related to money laundering or foreign business dealings.
- But U.S. attorney David Weiss said in a statement that the investigation is "ongoing" — a dynamic that will likely complicate the GOP's push to obtain Biden-related documents withheld by the FBI.
What to watch: House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said he plans to consult with Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who leads the weaponization committee, about calling Weiss to testify.
- In a letter to Jordan on June 7, Weiss said Attorney General Merrick Garland had granted him "ultimate authority" over the investigation, "including responsibility for deciding where, when, and whether to file charges."
- "I think that even Trump himself admitted he made some mistakes in hiring. I’m not saying he made a mistake with the U.S. attorney in Delaware or not," Comer told The Messenger.
