October 3, 2023
Mr. Biden pleads not guilty to the three counts that have been brought against him.
Hunter Biden’s lawyer Abbe Lowell on behalf of the United States President’s 53-year-old son in a federal courtroom in Delaware on Tuesday; Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to three federal firearms charges.
Why It Matters: This case marks the first time the Justice Department has charged the child of a sitting U.S. president. Hunter Biden’s plea sets “the case on a track toward a possible trial in 2024 while his father is campaigning for reelection,” The Associated Press reports, noting “his lawyer … plans to file a motion to dismiss the charges, challenging their constitutionality.” Just two months after Biden’s plea deal fell apart, he faces three felony gun counts related to a firearm purchase in 2018, including lying about his drug use on a form required to be filled out before purchasing a firearm; if convicted on all three counts, he faces a maximum penalty of up to 25 years in prison.
Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to three federal gun charges filed after his plea deal collapsed (The Associated Press)
by Leah Grainery, based in Texas
