Hunter Biden‘s plea deal faced significant challenges during his first court appearance, where he pleaded “not guilty” to two misdemeanor tax counts and federal prosecutors confirmed he is still under federal investigation.
The original plea agreement, aimed at avoiding jail time for a felony gun charge, was not accepted by Judge Maryellen Noreika, who raised concerns about its constitutionality.
God bless Judge Noreika 🇺🇸
Judge Noreika just rejected the Hunter Biden plea deal. pic.twitter.com/HwLz1b8PxR
— Mayra Flores (@MayraFlores_TX) July 26, 2023
The judge questioned federal prosecutors about the ongoing investigation and the possibility of future charges against Hunter Biden, but they did not provide specific details.
Prosecutors clarified that pleading guilty to the two misdemeanor tax offenses would not immunize him from future charges, potentially including violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
The plea deal collapsed when defense attorney Chris Clark disagreed with the prosecutor’s statements. The judge allowed both sides to negotiate further, eventually leading to Hunter Biden pleading “not guilty” due to the unacceptability of the original deal.
Judge Noreika expressed concerns about the constitutionality of the diversion deal related to the felony gun charge, as it required her to make findings of fact before bringing charges in case of any breach. She apologized to Hunter Biden for the delays caused by the proceedings.
🚨BREAKING: Judge strikes down Hunter Biden sweetheart plea deal pic.twitter.com/0lElF01UiZ
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 26, 2023
The case attracted attention due to IRS whistleblower testimony alleging DOJ misconduct during the investigation into Hunter Biden. House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith also filed an amicus brief, urging the court to consider the whistleblower testimony before accepting the plea deal.
The court appearance was marred by an incident where one of Hunter Biden’s attorneys allegedly lied while trying to remove IRS whistleblower testimony from the court docket, leading to the judge threatening sanctions against the legal team. The defense denied any intentional wrongdoing, calling it an “unfortunate and unintentional miscommunication.”
BREAKING: Judge Maryellen Noreika denies Hunter Biden's plea deal after she questioned the constitutionality of the immunity Hunter would receive.
Looks like Hunter Biden is now going to trial 🔥
Judge Noreika specifically took issue with the fact that the defense was trying to… pic.twitter.com/su7jL7kO8i
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 26, 2023
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that the case was handled independently by the Justice Department and referred further inquiries to the Department of Justice and Hunter Biden’s legal representatives.
