Joe Biden’s son Hunter pleads not guilty in tax case, as deal with justice dept falls through

US President Joe Biden’s second son Hunter has not pleaded guilty to two federal misdemeanour counts for failing to pay taxes in 2017 and 2018 as was expected earlier.

NBC News on Wednesday (July 26) reported that the deal between Hunter and the prosecutors fell through over a disagreement about a separate gun charge.

Bloomberg reported that Delaware District Judge Maryellen Noreika, appointed by Donald Trump, expressed concerns about a provision in the deal that allowed Hunter to not be prosecuted for a gun-related charge in a separate case.

There were questions about whether the gun charge was tied to the plea deal.

This is the first time the Justice Department, which falls under the executive branch, has brought charges against the child of a sitting president. It comes following a five-year justice department investigation into the finances of Hunter Biden.

Under the deal agreed upon earlier between Hunter and US Attorney David Weiss—another Trump appointee who was kept on by President Joe Biden to oversee the case— prosecutors would recommend probation for the tax violations, while a separate felony gun charge would be dropped if Biden's son meets certain conditions laid out in court.

But Hunter’s lawyers told the court that the plea deal was null and void. The terms of Hunter Biden’s sentencing will be decided at a later date. 

Biden’s second son has been accused of not paying taxes on more than $1.5 million in income in 2017 and 2018 despite owing more than $100,000.

He is charged in a separate case with unlawfully owning a Colt Cobra .38 Special handgun while using a controlled substance.

However, during the trial, confusion seemed to have emerged about the gun charge, following which the judge halted the proceedings so that a resolution could be reached.

News of the plea deal in June sparked accusations of favourable treatment for the president’s son from Trump and his Republican allies, who have for years accused the younger Biden of influence-peddling abroad, among other things.