OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The response from the White House and President Joe Biden after Hunter Biden’s conviction has been practically pathetic.
President Biden released a statement in support of his son after he was convicted Tuesday of lying on gun-purchasing paperwork and unlawfully possessing a gun.
“As I said last week, I am the President, but I am also a Dad. Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today. So many families who have had loved ones battle addiction understand the feeling of pride seeing someone you love come out the other side and be so strong and resilient in recovery. As I also said last week, I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal. Jill and I will always be there for Hunter and the rest of our family with our love and support. Nothing will ever change that,” President Biden said.
And that’s practically it.
The White House canceled Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s scheduled briefing.
Biden also spoke about his administration’s efforts to enact more gun control measures at a conference hosted by the Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund. He did not take any questions about Hunter’s conviction.
Behind the scenes, Biden’s team is freaking out.
Politico reported that Biden’s “team held a series of conversations at their campaign headquarters to discuss the potential aftershocks from the verdict, according to three Biden officials familiar with internal meetings who were granted anonymity to relay details of them. The general belief among aides is that it would not change the trajectory of the race but would likely become a focal point for the upcoming debate.”
Federal authorities charged Hunter Biden, the first son, with making illegal gun sales and lying on a background check form. The case was tried in Vermont, and a jury found him guilty.
“The conviction marks the first time a president’s immediate family member has been found guilty of a crime during their father’s term in office, though his crimes predate Joe Biden’s tenure as president,” CNN reported.
“Hunter Biden could face up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $750,000 at sentencing, though he likely will receive far less than the maximum as a first-time offender. Court has adjourned for the day after the jury found Hunter Biden guilty on all three counts. The jury deliberated for just under three hours. First lady Jill Biden arrived at the courthouse shortly after the verdict was read,” the outlet added.
BREAKING: President Biden’s son Hunter found guilty on all counts on gun charges. pic.twitter.com/OBwLoaJPsB
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 11, 2024
BREAKING: Hunter Biden found guilty on all counts pic.twitter.com/RxcyvBKiDn
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 11, 2024
Former District Attorney Phil Holloway appeared on Fox News last week and said that the defense strategy was to win sympathy for their client.
“I think if the jury is paying attention to the presentation that the prosecutors are putting on, the presentation that’s occurring in the front of the courtroom, these witnesses did a lot of damage to Hunter Biden,” he said. “[I]t’s obvious that at the relevant time when he bought that gun, he was both addicted to drugs and he was also an unlawful user of drugs, particularly, I think, crack cocaine being the big one.”
“But here’s the thing, Harris. There’s another presentation that’s taking place in that courtroom, and it’s for the benefit of the jury. The presence of the First Lady, the presence of the rest of the Biden family, all that stuff is there for the jury to see. The defense has orchestrated it for the benefit of the jury,” he said. “They’re trying to evoke sympathy. This is in the Biden’s backyard. There’s bound to be people on that jury who have great affection for at least some of the Bidens.”
“So this is an effort to get jury nullification, which is, of course, when the jury says okay, maybe he’s guilty, the evidence is there, but we’re gonna give him a pass anyway, that’s they have the power to do it,” he said. “The lawyers cannot directly ask for it, but they’re doing it in the way that you see playing out in the courtroom.”
The evidence from the prosecution was strong but Hunter’s daughter Naomi provided some contradictory testimony for the defense. She said that when she and her fiancé visited her father in a Los Angeles rehab in 2018, he was “the clearest he had ever been since my uncle [Beau Biden] died.”
“He seemed really great,” she told the jury.
She said that weeks after his dad purchased the firearm, she borrowed his truck to drive from New York to Washington and that the car was in good shape, and she did not notice any drug paraphernalia or evidence that drugs had been used in the truck.
The testimony contradicted that of Hallie Biden, Hunter’s ex-girlfriend and ex-sister-in-law, who said the car was full of drug paraphernalia and trash when she visited him around the same time.
On cross-examination, Naomi did admit that she received an unusual text message from her dad around five days after he purchased the weapon, around Oct. 17, 2018, the Washington Times reported.
