Hunter Biden Pleads NOT GUILTY Due to Stripping of Protection From Future Prosecution
“The judge ‘will not accept or reject the plea agreement’ b/c ‘she wants more information.'”
Let me start all over.
After a crazy day, Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to charges of tax evasion and felony gun charges since the plea deal no longer contained protection from future prosecutions.
The new plea deal would only cover tax offenses, drugs, and gun charges from 2014-2019.
But the judge still doesn’t like it. She said over and over that “she felt like she was being asked to ‘rubber stamp’ an agreement she had serious ‘concerns about.'”
The hearing has ended:
US District Judge Maryellen Noreika said she was not ready to accept the plea deal, and the hearing ended with Hunter Biden pleading not guilty for the time being.
The judge asked the sides to file additional briefs explaining the plea deal’s legal structuring.
US District Judge Maryellen Noreika called the deal federal prosecutors reached with Hunter Biden for his gun possession offense “unusual.”
She said the deal — in which Biden would enter the diversion program to resolve the charge — contains some “non-standard terms,” such as “broad immunity” from other potential charges.
“We don’t usually make diversion agreements public,” the judge said, referring to the move by the parties to make that aspect of their agreement public and discuss it in open court.
So after the judge said no the agreement she asked Hunter how he wants to plead.
#BREAKING: Hunter Biden pleads NOT GUILTY in a Delaware courtroom on gun and tax charges, REFUSING to accept the plea deal previously laid out by prosecutors.
NBC's Tom Winters says the judge "will not accept or reject the plea agreement" b/c "she wants more information" pic.twitter.com/nrvuV7wt0y
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 26, 2023
NBC's Tom Winters says the judge is still concerned about the terms of the plea agreement, specifically the gun charge and what this means for any future crimes Hunter Biden could be charged with. pic.twitter.com/CAClVc8mmi
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 26, 2023
*****Previous reporting…
At first it fell apart because the team wanted immunity for Hunter on all future prosecutions.
They eliminated that from the deal.
#BREAKING: The Hunter Biden plea deal is BACK, but is "much more limited in scope" to drug use, the gun charge and tax charges. pic.twitter.com/9ktrY4KXqt
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 26, 2023
DEVELOPING: The plea deal between the DOJ and Hunter Biden appears to be back on.
The two sides met during recess and Biden’s team is agreeing to a more limited plea deal that would provide immunity for the drug, gun and tax crimes (from 2014-2019)—but not future prosecution.
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
***More Previous reporting:
However, the plea deal has fallen apart. Hunter’s team really tried to demand the deal cover any future prosecutions of him.
I have to hand it to him. He has the guts to even suggest it let alone demand it:
NBC's Tom Winters says on MSNBC the plea deal is in jeopardy after Hunter Biden's legal team demanded the deal also cover *future* prosecution of the First Son, even if they're not directly related to the charges filed thus far.
Obviously, the judge & prosecutors disagree. pic.twitter.com/KIf7T2PXFn
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 26, 2023
Tom Winters: "As of right now, the both parties have agreed that the deal terms that they have worked out, the plea agreement that they have worked out, does not exist."
HOWEVER, they COULD still restructure the deal or one side could cave, but that's a huge if. pic.twitter.com/SK9HRBIbOG
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 26, 2023
🚨BREAKING: Hunter Biden's plea deal just fell apart in court due to investigations that are still on going. pic.twitter.com/AVD2f6eyhS
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) July 26, 2023
BREAKING: Hunter Biden's plea deal "appears to be dead and off the table," CNN reports.
"This investigation is very much still ongoing." pic.twitter.com/xPPlEHejeP
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 26, 2023
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Comments
And the People may, just maybe, win one if the pressure we’ve applied to this and the sunlight alternative media has brought makes this become something the DoJ can’t just whisk away.
A horrible thought that just occurred to me: what would it to do to “poor old Joe’s” chances if something awful happened to his only living son just before the elections next year? Are we that banana republic, yet?
“A horrible thought that just occurred to me: what would it to do to “poor old Joe’s” chances if something awful happened to his only living son just before the elections next year?”
Talk about reaching for the sympathy vote!
Are we that banana republic, yet?
I clicked Submit too soon.
“Are we that banana republic, yet?”
Yes.
Is that a trick question?
Yes … I see a “heart-wrenching” overdose on the horizon … poor kid, “He was just getting his life back together!”
With this family I would not dismiss something like that happening.
Woe, woe! The art world has lost a stellar nova much too young!
(I originally typoed this as “rat world,” but decided to edit it anyway.)
Reply to henrybowman:
Woe, woe! The art world has lost a stellar nova much too young!
Heh.
And the added advantage is that, when an “artist” dies, the main suspect list is always comprised of the people who bought his last “masterpieces”!
The chances of Hunter resorting to drug use just shot up by100% after his ordeal in the courtroom today.
Joe scolds Hunter’s legal team,
https://64.media.tumblr.com/a9dcaf3b157cc4ffe1923a8cca082b74/tumblr_inline_nshv16vC6v1rhuj6j_400.gifv
At first blush, I tended to agree with you, GWB. Hunter was not well served by his lawyers. How do you negotiate a plea deal that does not buy your high-profile client his peace?
However, giving it more thought, I suspect that Hunter’s lawyers were answering to Papa Joe’s puppet masters in the WH. Those shortsighted buffoons thought they were buying Joe’s peace, when they probably just put the nail in the coffin of his re-election campaign.
Joey would probably have an emotional breakdown and KH would have to temporarily invoke the 25th.
It’s completely normal to have a president (sic) who hallucinates having cured cancer.
And I guess that sunlight really wasn’t adequate to disinfection. Sorry for my uncharacteristic optimism.
Hunter’s lawyer: “We demand our client to be exempt from prosecution for any charges of any kind for all the rest of his natural life. Okay?”
Judge: “Uh, no. I don’t think so.”
Life is imitating Monty Python nearly every day now.
Vicar: But my car was hit by a lorry while standing in the garage and you refuse to pay my claim.
Devious: Oh well, Reverend Morrison, in your policy… in your policy… here we are. It states quite clearly that no claim you make will be paid.
Vicar: Oh dear.
Devious: You see, you unfortunately plumped for our ‘Neverpay’ policy, which, you know, if you never claim is very worthwhile, but you had to claim, and, well, there it is.
Plus, the lorry driver was Hunter Biden.
The DOJ wants to stop all investigations into Hunter and Joe.Sounds like the Epstein deal.
IMO, this was foolish move on the part of Hunter Biden and team. They had an extraordinarily lenient deal in their grasp for very easily proven charges that the DoJ had pushed down to misdemeanor level. Turning up their nose b/c the overly generous plea deal didn’t include a potential FARA charge is flipping stupid. FARA is fairly nuanced in comparison to the gun and tax charges and easier to defend. Both the gun and tax charges could easily be elevated to felony counts based on what has been made public and are way easier to prove than a FARA charge. IMO, he will regret this.
The whole thing radiates, “Do you know who my father is?”
Yeah I was getting the same sort of vibe. Now appears from updating reporting the Hunter Biden team came to their senses about rejection of what is an incredibly generous deal on the tax, gun and drug charges but not including the harder to prove FARA charges.
Harder to prove FARA? He Sat at a table with 2 Ukrainian business partners, called his VP father and put him on speakerphone
FARA is hard to prove if you are on the correct side. Not so much if you aren’t connected properly. Ask Paul Manafort.
The potential FARA charge isn’t a slam dunk like lying on the gun purchase question about drug use. That one is simple and he unquestionably did it. This alone carries a 10 year max sentence. A plea on that to a diversion is like Christmas.
lichau,
Manafort didn’t go to trail, he chose to plead guilty so the DoJ didn’t have to prove its case to a Judge/Jury.
In fact compared to overall success rate of DoJ once charges are filed 90%+ FARA has a much, much lower success rate. Out of the 104 separate FARA charges v individuals or entities through 2020 only 61 were convicted at trial. That’s an all-time conviction rate at trial of 58.65% for FARA charges. Way less than the normal 90%+ conviction rate.
It screams it. Too bad the media isn’t listening…
Everyone knows who his is father is—except for his Alzheimer suffering father.
Its the granddaughter living in Arkansas that Joe Biden doesn’t recognize.
Did you see the motorcade for Hunter, arriving at the courthouse? Such terrible optics.
I had the same thought. I think the only reason he would plead not guilty in this situation is that he continues to have faith that the fix is in with Garland. Suppose it’s not, though. Suppose he is actually prosecuted for his crimes. Will Joe pardon him? Will it kill Joe’s presidential campaign. What will the timing be? If Hunter is really prosecuted, he better hope is father is still president. No pardons from former presidents.
IMO Hunter’s legal team drags any trial out until after the election and, if Biden wins, loses or leaves earlier, Hunter (and anyone else in the family) is then pardoned. There never is a trial and there are no relevant political consequences for the Biden family.
Yeah. It’s a good bet. But Joe could end up in hot water in the case of impeachment. Also, he’s very old. Time is not on his side. Hunter better be praying for his health. I don’t think Kamala will take a Bullet for Hunter.
Stuytown,
jb4 may be on the right track. It would fit the existing pattern of deny and seek to delay past any upcoming election trying to minimize political issues.
IMO it won’t work as all in ’24 as ’20 b/c the cat is out of the bag on Hunter, his shenanigans, some of which involve Joe Biden (according to claims) + Biden hasn’t lived up to his PR of ‘moderate, nice Joe who is gonna restore civility and norms + the question of his health (physical and mental acuity) have become obvious. The d/prog gonna try to run the same scam for sure but it won’t be as easy as in ’20.
DOJ will make sure that they draw a woke judge on Hunter’s second plea deal (“Sweet Deal #2”). Hunter should stay with Clark and Latham & Watkins as his counsel – they definitely have the sleaze required to represent Biden Enterprises.
I think Joe has to change his diaper.
The lead has been buried. The judge is not upset about the sweetheart deal DOJ gave Hunter! The judge wants to make it clear Hunter gets full and complete immunity from prosecution for other crimes not charged in the indictment. Icing on the cake?
The DOJ is obvioulsy holding out a ton of information. The judge needs to see it all..
There is no way for her to rule fairly without it. It sounds like she is a straight shooter.
Not necessarily. If the deal seems too much like a pardon, she may reject such a deal as well. She’s going to want to know (as amwick says) what it is the FBI is holding over Hunter’s (and therefore his dad’s) head before she’s going to agree to a deal. Otherwise, it will appear she’s collaborating with the DOJ to sweep the Biden dirt under the rug.
If justice scores a victory, you can be sure that Joe will be encouraged to further weaponize the Justice system.
Hunter Biden is not the prize. But he can plead the 5th as long as incriminating evidence remains for separate charges.
I’m not saying he should be given immunity from all other charges, but there would be an upside to it.
The deal must include testimony in return. What are the chances? DOJ would only go for that if they think there’s no chance Hunter will ever be asked for said testimony.
Plea Deal.
Something the state offers to save the time and expense of going to trial. Most of the time offered when the state has evidence that, although sufficient, is problematic or may not stand up to cross examination scrutiny.
Is that the case with Biden with first hand witnesses, videotapes, tax records, numerous shell corporation and (last but not least) the laptop?
DOJ and Biden’s counsel have stated their conflicting positions before this hearing. The judge is forcing the DOJ to give up on “further investigation” in order to close the deal
The basis of the story has one fundamental flaw:
“Two sides attempting to salvage deal”
The are not two sides when Biden lawyers ae dealing with Biden lawyers.
Like the Teachers union bargaining with the School board, elected by the teachers union…
Yes. The entire prosecution team is corrupt as hell.
That’s like saying you have a pair of shoes you have two loafers that both go on the left foot.
Just “two loafers” are enough.
Ha ha. That’s a good point.
If the Judge signs off on this plea agreement — the obvious product of a thoroughly corrupt “prosecution” and investigation by FBI/IRS/DOJ — she is furthering that corruption.
she should have set a trial date before she ended the proceeding
She is looking at her calendar for sometime in 2029.
Impeachment around the corner as the public FINALLY will learn about the Biden crime family.
Just like cold fusion?
Watch.
Joe will not be impeached, remember that we’re relying on Republicans here
Kamala Harris makes Joe unimpeachable. It might have happened before it became apparent she’s incompetent as well as unlikable, but now it’s too late. Nobody, not Rs, not Ds, want Harris to be prez. In way, failure to remove Biden from office may actually help save the country, but that will be a fortunate accident that has nothing to do with the intentions of those who won’t impeach and remove Joe.
He can be impeached just not convicted by the Senate.
It sets the narrative for the 2024 campaign.
Beg to differ. Not only is the criminality explicit, but it will damage all Democrats that pretend he is above reproach.
FYI.
A federal district court presiding over a collateral attack in a civil action filed by deserter Bowe Bergdahl entered a long order setting aside the conviction. It is based on a potential bias by the judge because he was on his way out and had applied for a job as an immigration judge.
The collateral attack in a civil action as an alternative to a petition for a writ of habeas corpus is an interesting and relatively unique legal proceeding.
https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/bergdahl-decision/f32af7e7e7307b1f/full.pdf
Setting the stage to force Joe to resign and pardon Hunter on the way out the door.
“According to sources, Hunter Biden’s plea deal fell through in court today after his bribery check to the judge bounced due to insufficient funds.”
Source: Babylon Bee
Tired of updating headlines, yet, Mary?
It’s ludicrous that they thought they could get away with this corruption.
The ONLY time a prosecutor would even CONSIDER a plea deal that involves immunity from future charges is in exchange for testimony that puts a whole lot of other criminals behind bars.
It’s simply insane the blatant corruption here.
Ron Coleman retweeted this..
https://twitter.com/15poundstogo/status/1683992692588412933
The amici brief was very interesting.. and may shed light on what happened today…
Wow. Quite the amicus brief. I had tears of happiness running down my face as I read it. Thanks for posting.
FWIW I think justice dodged a bullet today.. Imagine if another judge had preside, and just rubber stamped this whole awful Hunter case.. Maybe there is hope…
Pardon my (well founded) cynicism.
Kabuki theatre is alive and well in The Swamp. The “not guilty” plea is just buying time for the DOJ to figure out a way to not put Hunter in jail.
SOP in DC, when caught with a hand in the till, is “Deny, Delay, Destroy”. We are in the “Delay” stage. Next, expect the DOJ to announce that all the critical evidence was on a disk drive that somehow got ran over in the parking lot. Something like that.
all the critical evidence was on a disk drive that somehow got ran over in the parking lot
To which the entire internet says, “Oh, I’ve got a copy!”
I can’t help but think this is all Kabuki theater.
If Hunter is ever in danger of actual consequences, Joe will just pardon him.
Democrats will applaud it and Republicans will nod along saying how unfair it is to try to get at the president by going after his son or some such nonsense.
Hunter Pleads….?
Right now he’s pleading with his drug dealer for some more cocaine. His dealer’s understandably a little hesitant after Hunter accidently dropped a two pound bag at the White House last week.
The stench of brazen inequity, lawlessness, entitlement and corruption emanating from this turd of a plea agreement to the sham “prosecution” was too nauseating for the judge to ignore.
Four thousand cases of illegal acquisition of a firearm have been handled by Biden’s DOJ. Guess how many led to “diversions” for the accused.
It must be painful for Hunter the Punter to shave, shower, be clean and suited up for court…what they call an alternate lifestyle….
A diversion program for a permanent “get out of jail card”.
Isn’t that what everyone in the ‘hood’ is getting these days ?
Excellent! Let the trial begin!
“The new plea deal would only cover tax offenses, drugs, and gun charges from 2014-2019.”
would that include only the crimes already known or would it also include as of yet unknown crimes as well?
The court’s night cleaning crew should be on the lookout for powdery white plastic bags.
>> But the judge still doesn’t like it. She said over and over that “she felt like she was being asked to ‘rubber stamp’ an agreement she had serious ‘concerns about.’” <<
Hey, didn't a judge in the Oberlin shoplifting case say pretty much the same thing, and look where that led? 😉
I love the reader responses to these LI daily newsbits, and sometimes add comments myself. LI’s readers are obviously a bunch of smart cookies with a sense of humor and satire. I will continue to support LIF for the good work that Prof.Jacobson et al. are doing with the Equal Protection Project—and for these news stories and the titillating reader responses.
The ideal outcome:
It goes back to when Houng Dog Bill looked straight into the camera and said, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miz Lewinsky.” I remember it like it was yesterday, because my partner and I laughed our asses off and not for a microsecond did either one of us believe a word of it. But I thought at the time that the coverup was nailed down tight, otherwise Clinton wouldn’t have been so unequivocal.
Oops, she saved the dress! On her tombstone it will be written: “Here lies Monica Lewinsky. She was even cruder than Bill Clinton.”
Joe Biden has been equally unequivocal in denying that he participated in Hunter’s corruption. I never believed that for a microsecond either, but with the help of the degraded “news” media he has thus far skated. Will the coverup now collapse? Maybe not, but let’s say that the house is looking more rickety these days.
Ideally, the coverup collapses but not for another six months. I despise Senile Joe and the fraudulent horse he rode in on, but Kamala Harris has the I.Q. of a Golden Retriever so I would prefer that Joe finish out his term. In disgrace, for sure, but still.
If I get my wish, Trump gets convicted of something, and so does Joe after he’s out. They both pay big fines, and are removed from American political life. And then we start walking back to some semblance of normalcy.
Probably too much to hope for, but never forget: We ARE “the lucky country” We shall see. What a circus!