A federal judge in California has rejected all attempts by Hunter Biden to see his tax charges dismissed after the embattled first son claimed in court filings that the counts against him were politically motivated.
Citing eight separate motions by Hunter’s lawyers, Judge Mark Scarsi reasoned in his ruling that the evidence supplied by Hunter — mostly newspaper articles — “contain multiple levels of hearsay” and do not advance the argument that Republicans pressured Justice Department special counsel David Weiss to treat him unfairly.
“The motion is remarkable in that it fails to include a single declaration, exhibit, or request for judicial notice,” he wrote according to The Hill. “Instead, Defendant cites portions of various Internet news sources, social media posts, and legal blogs. These citations, however, are not evidence.”
Furthermore, he adds, “Defendant fails to present a reasonable inference, let alone clear evidence, of discriminatory effect and discriminatory purpose. Accordingly, the selective prosecution claim fails.”
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Hunter’s attorneys, including Biden family counsel Abbe Lowell, previously argued that “outrageous government conduct” by the IRS, including congressional testimony by multiple whistleblowers, tainted the government’s case against their client. Hunter has been charged in Delaware and California with various misdemeanors related to tax evasion, filing false tax returns, and one felony count of applying to purchase a gun while lying about ongoing drug use.
Between 2016 and 2019, Hunter allegedly failed to pay at least $2 million in back taxes stemming mainly from overseas business transactions he conducted in countries like China. Family members like James and Sarah Biden, and former associates like Devon Archer have been called to testify, or have already done so, before Congress about whether the millions of dollars Hunter helped secure involved any improper dealings by President Joe Biden. Hunter claimed during testimony that he did not consider James Biden to be an “advisor” in his endeavors.
Weiss, who began investigating Hunter as far back as 2018, was appointed special counsel in September 2023 after U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland was alleged by whistleblowers to have helped stymie the IRS’s investigation into Hunter’s alleged tax fraud.
“Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint him as special counsel,” Garland said at the time, according to The Hill.
Previous attempts last summer to negotiate a plea deal with Hunter collapsed after defense attorneys opposed the government’s motion to continue pursuing charges outside of Delaware.
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