Hunter Biden reportedly appeared “agitated” and “worried” as his original plea deal fell apart in court on Wednesday.
The president’s son entered the courtroom with hopes the judge would approve his “sweetheart” plea deal with the Justice Department (DOJ). As he walked into the courtroom, Hunter Biden drew a deep breath and bolted to greet the prosecutors with “handshakes” and a “smile,” the New York Times reported.
Hunter Biden’s prosecutors investigated him for five years before leveling charges of tax and gun violations. In June, Hunter Biden agreed to a plea deal that his lawyers believed would keep him out of prison and immunized from further legal action.
U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika asked the defense and the prosecutors specific questions about the plea deal. Disputes arose about what exactly it entailed. Both the prosecutors and the defense tried to save the original deal.
As the deal broke down, Hunter Biden “appeared agitated and worried,” CNN reported. The judge ultimately tabled the deal and requested additional specifics.
The hearing produced significant information previously unconfirmed, appearing to anger both the defense and the prosecution, according to reporters in the courtroom.
Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Chris Clark, admitted the president’s son received $664,000 from CEFC China Energy Co. in 2017, directly contradicting President Joe Biden’s claim that Hunter Biden never received money from a Chinese entity.
He also confirmed additional income from Hunter Biden’s business ventures, including $500,000 in director’s fees from his ventures with Burisma Holdings, a company whose executive told an FBI informant he bribed Hunter and Joe Biden each with $5 million.
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Hunter Biden told the judge he last “used, ingested,” or was “under the influence of any drug, legal or illegal, medication, or alcoholic beverage” in June 2019.
He also said he was admitted to practice law in Washington, DC, and Connecticut, despite his illicit activity.
In addition, the judge revealed she did not have time to review the IRS whistleblower testimony provided in a brief by the House Ways and Means Committee. She said the new information might “cast doubt” on the DOJ’s probe into Hunter Biden.
The brief and the judge’s lack of time to review it before the hearing are notable. The original plea deal fell apart after the judge questioned if it covered future potential charges of the DOJ’s ongoing investigation. The prosecution said the deal did not include any potential future Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) charges against Hunter Biden.
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.
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