Federal agents see chargeable tax, gun-purchase case against Hunter Biden

[brooklynite]

Source: Washington Post

Federal agents investigating President Biden’s son Hunter have gathered what they believe is sufficient evidence to charge him with tax crimes and a false statement related to a gun purchase, according to people familiar with the case. The next step is for the U.S. Attorney in Delaware, a Trump administration holdover, to decide on whether to file such charges, these people said.

The investigation into Hunter Biden began in 2018, and became a central focus for then-president Donald Trump during his unsuccessful 2020 reelection effort. Initially, the investigation centered around Hunter Biden’s finances related to overseas business ties and consulting work. Over time, investigators with multiple agencies focused closely on whether he did not report all of his income, and whether he lied on gun purchase paperwork in 2018, according to the people familiar with the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing case.

Agents determined months ago they had assembled a viable criminal case against the younger Biden. But it is ultimately up to prosecutors at the Justice Department, not agents, to decide whether to file charges in cases where prosecutors believe the evidence is strong enough to lead to a likely conviction at trial.

Given the intense political interest in a criminal probe involving the son of a sitting president, Attorney General Merrick Garland has made clear that the U.S. Attorney in Delaware, David C. Weiss, who was nominated by Trump in late 2017, is supervising the case.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/10/06/hunter-biden-tax-gun-charges

[50 Shades Of Blue]

1. Damn.

[brooklynite]

4. Doesn't reflect on President Biden's reputation...

Conversely, Presidents have had problematic family members for decades if not centuries.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

14. I'm well aware of that. It's still not good and there is no way to spin it.

[Demsrule86]

59. It has nothing to do with Pres8dent Biden. After Trump's grifter kids in the white house,

the right can fuck off.

[Demsrule86]

34. Those charges are bullshit. I bet Justice doesn't charge and then the right whines about it...

very doubtful they could get a conviction.

[oldsoftie]

2. I've said many times the "big" deal here would tax evasion. 1/2 right I guess

if this is true.
If it is its funny how Trump is going to be looked at for massive tax evasion.

but where oh WHERE is all the HUGE evidence against Pres Biden??
It was never there Trumpers. Sorry!!

[RockRaven]

3. Once again federal agents leak smears on Dem politicos (or their family) prior to an election.

And there will be no consequences.

[underthematrix]

9. This is great news for Democrats. I just hope AG Garland charges him.

[TeamProg]

41. huh?

[underthematrix]

42. Think about it. Has Hunter gotten on national TV or social media and ranted

and raged about LE the way Trump's thug adult children have? Has he said anything other I am FULLY cooperating with law enforcement. He's been very mature and rational. He's communicated anything he has to say to the authorities via his counsel. It's not like, you know he committed treason or violated the espionage act or committed sedition.

The GOP doesn't want to talk about Hunter Biden because he's behaving the way most people do when they're a target of a federal investigation - rationally.

[TeamProg]

43. There is nothing GOOD about it, there is nothing to cheer about here n/t

[underthematrix]

48. Hunter Biden is a really nice man and a good guy. L

That's what seems to come across. If he broke the law he should be held to account. That's what equal protection under law means. Really this is a nothingburger.

[TeamProg]

50. Yes, he should be accountable. But that doesn't make it

a good thing or good news.

Hunter B. is a troubled person. Beau who died of cancer cancer was probably the favorite son.

But when you are the son of a high profile Senator or VP, one needs to not screw up.

But nothing here makes it great news.

[underthematrix]

52. Okay I'll give you that.

[Genki Hikari]

56. It's BS dropped for a reporter infamous for being an R shill

The case is before a grand jury and anyone on the prosecution side with REAL access who dropped info about such a case can be charged with violating federal laws regarding grand jury secrecy.

No FBI agent is going to risk that. This is the equivalent of someone who knows someone who knows someone who "thinks" a prosecution is coming. It's not from a real source who would know.

This is a giant nothingburger.

Stop falling for obvious r lies.

[TeamProg]

58. Which reporter? Devlin Barrett or Perry Stein?

Which is the R shill ?

I’d say the issue here is almost a nothingburgar, but not quite.

[TeamProg]

60. Which reporter? Come on, man!

You know the saying: Put up or shut up.

Which reporter is the R shill?

You should me MORE concerned about an agent’s leak.

If there is no actual leak, then Barrett and Stein should fired. They are established WaPo reporters.

[brooklynite]

44. Meanwhile...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217230042

[Frustratedlady]

5. Tis the Season

I wonder how long they were aware of this and held it back for the October Surprise?

I've also been curious about OPEC/Saudi Arabia's decrease in oil production; Kim Jung Un (however you spell it) and his sudden interest in shooting missiles around the area to keep things stirred up, etc.

I always dread election season, as the orneriness comes oozing out of the walls and when one rumor is started, the other side shoots back with another, bigger rumor.

Hold on! It's just getting started.

[brooklynite]

6. Why would this influence the November election

The average undecided voter is focused on the economy and reproductive rights. The people who do care about this are already committed to the Republican Party.

[Frustratedlady]

10. Because the Republicans will glom onto anything that even hints of a scandal.

They have to dig deep to find anything on Democrats, thus Hunter Biden. They never hesitated to use Hillary and her emails. Surely, they won't drag her into this election. They want to win in the worst way and don't hesitate to use what's available to get the job done.

[OneCrazyDiamond]

19. And?

They are liars. The majority of Americans know this, and will not vote for them. Our job is to GOTV and beat them in November. Mr. Biden's legal issues are his own, if they really exist. I think I read he already settled his taxes, and Pukes think guns are A-O-K.

[Demsrule86]

61. Of course, it could influence the election. This has dragged out for so long that I doubt it will

though. This election will not be like other midterms IMHO.

[Genki Hikari]

57. It's BS.

Devlin Barrett is the reporter, and he's a known r shill.

Nobody who is actually part of the prosecution gave him this information because it could not only cost them a job, but also result in criminal penalties for revealing grand jury information. The only people who could do that would be the defense side, and Hunter Biden can afford real lawyers who wouldn't make their client look bad that way.

This is all one big honking pile of 3rd or 4th hand wishful thinking.

At best.

[underthematrix]

7. Democrats don't understand that this is a good thing for us and the rule of law.

All I can say is thank God for Hunter Biden. If Delaware U.S. Atty has sufficient evidence to prosecute and convict, then charge him. NO ONE is above the law.

[867-5309.]

27. But repugs claim (unsubstantiated) ties to Joe

People who don't followstuff closely will see Hunter's problems as somehow connected to Joe. I don't see how this is a positive politically.

[underthematrix]

28. Wait a minute. So they claim it involves President Biden.

Well DOJ speaks thru it's filings. Anyone calling POTUS Individual #1?

[XorXor]

32. They'd do that either way

It's positive, because if it turns out there is something here, it gives the democrats something to point to about how the rule of law should work. That being said, the republicans are already dismissing it as a just a show. So, we know that if they clear him they will till harp on it, and even if there is something here that does go forward, anything short of a summary public execution will be met with talk about how it's all show. But that's the state of our current political system.

As for the people who don't follow it closely, are they really likely to change their votes just because someone's family member MAY have done something? If they are influenced by that, then they'd probably be equally influenced by the investigations into Trump and those around him.

[Torchlight]

66. Overplaying a bad hand is a bad look too.

Many voters will see it as such.

[Tomconroy]

30. This sounds like rogue FBI agents.leaking to the press

Because the US atty isn't doing what they want.

[underthematrix]

33. It doesn't matter. Hunter Biden has been amazing

[GB_RN]

47. That's Pretty Much What Ari Melber Said.

Agents are not allowed by law to comment on this kind of thing. It's actually a felony. Only the prosecuting attorneys are able to make comments...once they decide whether or not they are going to press charges or not. MSNBC reached out to the DOJ over this story and the DOJ did not respond.

[Demsrule86]

62. It is not a good thing. It shows the double standard...Democrats VS Republicans.

The charges are bullshit too.

[CentralMass]

8. Maybe someone with Tax law experience can chime in but isn't this

A relatively inconsequential violation that would result in a fine or payment adjustment ?

[Tomconroy]

54. People do small federal bids for things like failing to pay taxes

6 months or so
. I've known some lawyers who ended up in the pokey when they didn't file a return.

[SledDriver]

11. Why is this is ok to do before the election?

ELECTION INTERFERENCE!!!

[brooklynite]

12. Because he's not an elected official, a candidate or a political figure of any kind.

[Demsrule86]

36. Neither is Trump and yet he can't be charge before the election...a family member being charged.

I doubt it will here because anyone with a brain knows it is bullshit and likely will never end up in court.

[brooklynite]

49. I don't know that...

Has Merrick Garland shared something with you l?

[Demsrule86]

63. So not funny. It is pretty clear that Trump will not be charged before the midterm. Consider how

Hillary Clinton was treated less than two weeks before a presidential election. Hunter's investigation was always a politically motivated investigation and what they turned up is laughable. We need to fight back.

[Midnight Writer]

13. They've had evidence for months, but we get the news one month before the election.

RW talkers will jump on this to energize their base. It will be hammered 24/7 on radio and FOXNews.

Meanwhile, still not enough evidence to charge anyone in the Trump family with anything.

[Demsrule86]

37. It is a nothing burger and won't work.

[rzemanfl]

15. This is from a 2018 Chicago Tribune article about lying on firearms forms.

"It’s reassuring that so many felons and other ineligible people were blocked from acquiring guns. What’s not reassuring is how few of them were prosecuted. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives referred just 12,700 cases to field offices for investigation. Of those, the Justice Department prosecuted exactly 12 — one of every 9,333 alleged liars."

https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-guns-background-check-prosecutions-20180914-story.html

How many substance abuse professionals would say a person who is actively using has the mens rea to commit this offense? Maybe one in 9,333?

BTW the leaker is a felon.

I will edit with link to source.

[world wide wally]

16. Like I told my RW brother, "I'm not voting for Hunter Biden anyway"

[NCjack]

22. +1. I think that your answer is the correct way to view this news story.

[Cracklin Charlie]

17. Seems pretty weak, for something they've spent so much effort on.

Not a lot of detail.

[Sanity Claws]

18. Can we give this any credibility?

Just before 2016, we heard such rumblings from so-called federal agents regarding Hillary Clinton.

[KPN]

20. This like the whole Bill Clinton-Ken Starr episode

is without question the result of a genuine “fishing expedition” as opposed to the absolutely phony cries of “witch-hunt/fishing expedition” around everything Trump.

As usual, when they do it, it’s legit, when we do it, it’s political. Fuck the GOP.

[Javaman]

21. if FBI agents leak information from a grand jury trial, it's a felony.

this is just smoke and mirror bullshit.

[videohead5]

23. I'm almost sure

I read an article that said about the same thing months ago?

[brooklynite]

35. Not that I recall...

There were certainly articles that said he was under investigation...which he was.

[Demsrule86]

39. This is all a bunch of bullshit...they are after Biden and are claiming he 'squashed' the

the investigation...I very much doubt he will be charged.

[brooklynite]

40. The DOJ is after Biden? Does Merrick Garland know?

[Demsrule86]

64. You don't seem to understand that there are rogue agents in DOJ who target Democrats while

insisting on every break for Republicans. They leak all sorts of crap and it needs to stop. Consider the leak in the post that Gaetz wouldn't be charged, This may or may not be true, but it will have a positive effect for Gaetz. The opposite is true for Democrats in terms of the Hunter Biden leak.

[brooklynite]

65. I seem to understand that there's a Democratic President who appointed a Democratic AG....

...who's competent enough to manage his organization. I also seem to understand that, per the article, Garland is aware of the investigation, and has chosen to keep arms length from it.

[videohead5]

46. Here is what I read

It's saying almost the same exact thing.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/feds-close-to-indicting-hunter-biden-on-gun-and-tax-fraud-charges-report/ar-AAZNCtA?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=ca041317630c43aebeae120a7aad1cd5

[PerceptionManagement]

24. "Federal Agents" spooky. could mean Louis DeJoy. could mean any non lawyer curmudgeon.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

25. What are the alleged false statements on the gun paperwork?

[ripcord]

29. I'm worried they could be concerning his drug use

There is a question when buying a firearm about your drug use, if he lied on that form he is facing up to 10 years.

[Deminpenn]

55. He said he was not a substance abuser,

but he was using drugs at the time as he later admitted in his book, iirc.

[KPN]

26. This like the whole Bill Clinton-Ken Starr episode

is without question the result of a genuine “fishing expedition” as opposed to the absolutely phony cries of “witch-hunt/fishing expedition” around everything Trump.

As usual, when they do it, it’s legit, when we do it, it’s political. Fuck the GOP.

[Tomconroy]

31. So the FBI is mad because the US atty isn't satisfied with the

Evidence they came up with.

[Joinfortmill]

38. Well, if they charge Hunter, then Donald better damn well be next.

[Hieronymus Phact]

45. What ever happened to the laptop?

Wasn't that the Biiig thing?

[Corgigal]

51. This should be quiet,

no one should say anything. You charge from a legal prosecutor, not some random investigators.

Which tells me, that the DA isn’t buying into this case, yet.

Must be a crappy case.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

53. Sounds like Durham II

We saw how successful that was.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

67. why do we care?

What is the point of this post?

[Shermann]

68. There are few prosecutions for lying on ATF gun-purchase forms in regards to drug use

You would pretty much have to arrest somebody with drugs on their person filling out that form to make that stick.

Filing charges four years later based on statements in a memoir? Good luck with that.

This one is right-wing political theater.

[onetexan]

69. grasping at straws