Hunter Biden’s plea deal imploded at a dramatic hearing on Wednesday, and the president’s son is still facing charges related to foreign deals with China and Ukraine. Despite the collapse of his sweetheart deal, Republicans are vowing to continue pursuing him and his family’s shady dealings.
The drama began when US District Judge Maryellen Noreika refused to sign off on the original plea agreement, saying it linked a tax-related plea deal with sparing him full prosecution on a felony gun charge. She then sat in a huff as government lawyers and the Biden team argued over the terms of the agreement. They seemed to come up with a new one within minutes, but Judge Noreika again expressed concerns about it. She also said she was worried about the time frame of the deal and what charges will be included or left out of it.
During the hearing, Biden appeared to be nervous. He wore a tan suit and stood with his ‘sugar brother’ and attorney. He also admitted to struggling with alcohol addiction, telling the judge he’d been treated for it six times in his life and had been in a rehab facility twice in the past year. He also said he was sober for 2019 and would undergo random drug tests under his probation. Those admissions could potentially backfire and give ammunition to his defense team when the trial begins in October.