Prominent attorney and constitutional expert, Jonathan Turley, has weighed in on the recent federal indictment brought against Hunter Biden. The Justice Department announced on Thursday that it has filed new criminal charges against President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter. The indictment, which was filed in the Central District of California, includes nine counts against Hunter Biden, namely: tax evasion, failure to file/pay taxes, and false/fraudulent tax return. The charges are related to a “four-year scheme” to avoid the payment of more than $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019 and the filing of false tax returns.
If convicted on these charges, Hunter Biden could face a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison. This latest indictment came after a previous plea deal on tax charges had fallen apart over the summer. David Weiss, the Special Counsel overseeing the investigation, has an ongoing probe into Hunter Biden’s financial activities. The case has been assigned to Judge Mark Scarsi, a Trump appointee, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
According to the indictment, between 2016 and October 15, 2020, Hunter Biden received over $7 million in total gross income, along with approximately $1.2 million in financial support during the same period. The document also revealed that Hunter Biden spent millions of dollars on questionable activities, including excessive spending on women, drugs, and luxury items.
Jonathan Turley has expressed his concerns about the indictment, specifically pointing out the omission of any reference to Joe Biden, the President of the United States. Turley remarked that the indictment itself is a masterful act of evasion, as it sidesteps any mention of the President’s involvement.
Turley also raised questions about the limitations set on the indictment, as it only covers tax evasion in recent years, neglecting to address the controversial payments received by Hunter Biden from the Ukrainian gas company, Burisma, around 2014. Additionally, Turley criticized the absence of charges related to Hunter Biden’s status as an unregistered foreign agent, which contrasts with previous cases brought against other political figures.
The omission of these crucial elements from the indictment has led Turley to conclude that the Justice Department is purposefully evading any direct connection to the President and the implications for his involvement in the scandal. Despite President Biden’s repeated claims of ignorance about his son’s dealings, Turley insists that the indictment poses a serious threat to the President’s denials and could potentially expose the falsehood of his statements.
As the legal proceedings against Hunter Biden continue, it remains to be seen whether the indictment will have wider implications for the Biden administration and, more significantly, for President Joe Biden himself.
Overall, the latest developments in the case against Hunter Biden have raised significant legal and political questions, and the impact of the ongoing investigation on the Biden family and the administration will undoubtedly attract continued attention and scrutiny.
