When news broke that Hunter Biden had struck a plea deal on federal tax and gun charges, Donald Trump wrote that the "corrupt" Justice Department under President Biden had given the younger Biden the equivalent of a "traffic ticket," per the Hill. Meanwhile, the left-leaning Talking Points Memo (while not defending Hunter Biden's behavior) criticized Republicans for what it calls a relentless campaign to "visit the alleged sins of the son on the father." Where does the truth lie? In a place neither the left nor the right likes, according to an analysis written earlier this year by Adam Entous, Michael S. Schmidt, and Katie Benner in the New York Times.
"The real Hunter Biden story is complex and very different in important ways from the narrative promoted by Republicans—but troubling in its own way," they write. When his father became vice president, Hunter Biden struck lucrative deals with foreign business interests that raised legitimate questions about conflicts of interest. His personal struggles didn't help matters: After "the death of his brother, Beau, in 2015, Hunter descended into a spiral of addiction and tawdry and self-destructive behavior." The Times examination finds that Hunter Biden "aligned himself with foreign actors eager to leverage their connections to him to further their own interests. But it also underscores ... how his father’s opponents have often twisted or exaggerated the story of his descent to score political points."
- White House: On Tuesday, President Biden and first lady Jill Biden released a short statement saying they "love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life,” per the AP. “We will have no further comment.”
- Kevin McCarthy: The House speaker agreed with Trump, saying the "sweetheart" deal demonstrates a "two-tier system in America." He added, per the Hill: "Now this does nothing to our investigation. It actually should enhance our investigation because the DOJ should not be able to withhold any information now saying that there’s a pending investigation."
- More from the GOP: House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer voiced a similar sentiment. “Hunter Biden is getting away with a slap on the wrist when growing evidence uncovered by the House Oversight Committee reveals the Bidens engaged in a pattern of corruption, influence peddling, and possibly bribery,” Comer said. “We will not rest until the full extent of President Biden’s involvement in the family’s schemes are revealed.”
- Details: The Washington Post has details on the plea agreement, with prosecutors expected to ask for two years of probation on the tax charges and for the gun charge to be expunged from Hunter Biden's record provided he completes a "diversion" program on firearms.
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