Hunter Biden, the son of US President Joe Biden, is expected to plead guilty to two misdemeanour crimes for not paying taxes on time. As part of a plea deal reached last month, he also
agreed to admit to illegally possessing a gun while a drug user.
The plea deal must first be accepted by the judge, which could potentially keep the president's son out of jail. This marks the first time the Justice Department has charged the child of a sitting president.
The case follows a five-year investigation into Hunter Biden's finances. Republican lawmakers have introduced serious allegations against him in committee hearings, accusing him of receiving special treatment because of his father's position. However, the US Attorney for Delaware, David Weiss, who led the investigation, denies these claims and has offered to testify in front of Congress to address criticism of the inquiry.
The House of Representatives Oversight Committee is examining various allegations against Hunter Biden, and some Republicans have accused the justice department of deliberately slow-walking the tax investigation. Democrats argue that Republicans are attacking the justice system to protect former President Donald Trump, who is facing multiple criminal indictments.
Republicans have focused on a laptop that Hunter Biden allegedly abandoned in a Delaware computer repair shop, using its contents to make claims of bribery and corruption against him and his father. Democratic strategists believe this strategy may backfire on Republicans, allowing Democrats to argue that their rivals are not focused on the issues voters care about.
The allegations being pursued against Hunter Biden by the House Oversight Committee are complex and potentially confusing for the general public. Photo by Center for Strategic & International Studies, Wikimedia commons.