Special Counsel David Weiss to Indict Hunter Biden on Gun Charge, Plea Deal Collapses

Special Counsel David Weiss is preparing to indict Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, on a gun charge before the end of the month. The move comes after a plea deal between Biden and prosecutors collapsed in July. According to Weiss' filing in federal court, the charges stem from Biden's purchase of a pistol in 2018, during which he allegedly lied on a federal form by stating that he was not using drugs at the time. Biden's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, indicated that he would challenge any efforts to proceed with a trial, arguing that the original agreement remains valid.

The filing does not mention the status of separate charges related to Hunter Biden's business dealings and failure to pay taxes. Last month, prosecutors stated their intention to file tax charges in either California or Washington, D.C. Weiss intends to seek an indictment on the gun charge by September 29, as required by the Speedy Trial Act. Under the original deal, Biden had agreed to plead guilty to two tax misdemeanors and settle the gun investigation without being charged. Despite the collapse of the agreement, Lowell claimed that Biden had been abiding by the terms of the original deal. The investigation into Hunter Biden's business dealings and tax issues has been ongoing for five years. Biden's legal troubles related to a firearm he purchased in October 2018.

At the time, he lied on a federal form about his drug use, despite struggling with crack cocaine addiction. Lying on the form and possessing a firearm as a drug user are federal crimes. The statute of limitations for some of these offenses is set to expire in October. Weiss has been leading the investigation into Hunter Biden since 2018, looking into potential tax evasion, illegal foreign lobbying, money laundering, and other matters related to his overseas business deals. In June, a two-pronged agreement was announced, in which Biden would plead guilty to tax misdemeanors while entering a diversion agreement for the gun charge.

However, the deal fell apart during a court hearing in July, leading to Weiss's appointment as a special counsel in August. Weiss is also considering whether to charge Hunter Biden with tax crimes. In a court filing, he stated that a trial is now necessary for the tax offenses and that he may bring tax charges in California or Washington, D.C. House Republicans have also requested documents related to the defunct plea agreement, as part of their ongoing investigation into Hunter Biden's business dealings.