President Hunter Biden's guilty verdict may have a personal cost.
Many of the president's aides privately fear that Hunter Biden's guilty judgement on Tuesday, along with a trial that brought to light difficult events in the Biden family's past, might substantially burden the president in the last months of a taxing reelection campaign.
Less is known about the political fallout, and even several Republicans on Tuesday wrote off Hunter's transgression of falsifying on a gun purchase paperwork six years prior as a very small one. Republican leaders continue to hope that the decision discredits Donald Trump's criminal history and portrays the Bidens as lawbreakers. Meanwhile, Democratic strategists contended that people are not likely to hold the president responsible for the actions of his son. However, the psychological impact on a president who has already lost two children and battled his son's addiction for years may be even worse.
"What kind of person wouldn't be heartbroken to witness his family's suffering unfold in front of the entire world in a courtroom?" stated David Axelrod, a former Obama administration senior advisor. "And to witness individuals you care about being forced to testify—not just your son, but also your granddaughter and daughters-in-law—all reliving the worst experiences of their lives—who wouldn't be devastated by that?"
"I don’t think voters are going to hold Biden accountable for his son's addiction or misbehaviour," Axelrod continued. However, I believe that the true inquiry is about the toll it has on him and his family. The dramatic and frequently scandalous trial took place in Wilmington, Delaware, the hometown of Joe Biden, just a few blocks from Biden's reelection headquarters. Prosecutors claimed that Hunter was utilising illegal substances in 2018 despite his declaration on the form to the contrary. The prosecution called Kathleen Buhle, Hunter's ex-wife, and Hallie Biden, Beau Biden's widow, as two of President Biden's former daughters-in-law. Biden's granddaughter and Hunter's daughter, Naomi Biden, provided testimony on behalf of the defence.
The president, just before giving a speech at a gun control rally, issued a statement on Tuesday endorsing his son. The statement read, "I am the President, as I said last week, but I am also a Dad." "Jill and I adore our kid and are really proud of the adult he has become. The sense of pride that comes from watching a loved one overcome addiction and demonstrate incredible strength and resilience in recovery is shared by a large number of families.
The president was not present for most of the trial, despite his repeated declarations that he would not allow anyone to believe that he was unlawfully influencing a case that his own Justice Department was handling. However, because his family members were there so often, the prosecutors asked the jury on Monday not to let them influence the outcome of the case.
During final arguments, prosecutor Leo Wise waved his hand at the crowded courtroom, which included first lady Jill Biden, who had attended nearly every day of the trial. "All of this is not evidence," Wise said. "Those seated in the gallery do not constitute evidence." Throughout the course of the trial, the president did make multiple trips to his Wilmington residence. He attended the trial's first day before departing on an official visit to France, and on Sunday, he returned after his return to the United States.
Tuesday's ruling was immediately followed by the White House's announcement that Biden will visit Wilmington that afternoon before departing on Wednesday for a conference in Italy. Additionally, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre abruptly cancelled Tuesday's normal White House briefing.
On Tuesday, jurors found Hunter Biden guilty on all charges after prosecutors presented evidence that he had lied on the federal gun purchase form, claiming he was not addicted to drugs or using them, and that he had then illegally owned the gun for 11 days. Republicans in the House have been looking into Hunter and the Biden family in general for months, claiming that Hunter had improperly benefited from his father's vice presidential position. Most of that probe has been put on hold.
While they still think Hunter Biden has committed financial misconduct, a number of Republicans stated on Tuesday that the firearms offence is at most minor. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), a supporter of Trump who has regularly criticised Hunter Biden, discounted the case's conclusion. Using a contraction for "to be honest," Gaetz said on X, "The Hunter Biden gun conviction is kinda dumb tbh."
Another ardent conservative lawmaker, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), wrote on X, saying, "Hunter might deserve to be in jail for something, but purchasing a gun is not it." "Millions of marijuana users own guns in this country, and none of them should be in jail for buying or carrying a firearm in violation of the law," he continued. Democrats claimed they could relate to Hunter Biden's struggle with substance misuse since addiction has harmed families of all colours in the United States. Hunter's newfound stability, including his marriage to Melissa Cohen-Biden, his second wife, has been praised by President Biden.
However, given that the president has declared he will not pardon his son, there will likely be more difficulties. Hunter Biden will therefore be subject to a sentence that may include jail time. His defence team is looking for a more lenient punishment because he is a first-time offender guilty of a nonviolent offence.
Hunter Biden will also be on trial in September, this time on charges of tax evasion. Among President Biden's close advisors, it is no secret that he is very concerned about his son's mental health. Biden's advisors have frequently stated that they are reluctant to discuss their son's issues with the president. Hunter and those close to him have become enraged at the attempts by some advisers in the past to restrict Hunter's public appearances. The president has consistently tried to maintain a close relationship with his son. Years ago, Joe Biden sent a brief note to Hunter's family in response to news that the cocaine user had been kicked out of the Navy Reserve.
In an email that The Washington Post was able to verify, he wrote, "Good as it could be." It's time to go forward. Greetings, Dad.
According to Hunter's own perspective, which he includes in his memoir, the president has shown his son unconditional love by frequently telling him he loves him no matter what and by occasionally knocking on his door to ask for assistance. According to the president's friends and acquaintances, President Biden communicates with his son on a regular basis via phone and, when the calls go unanswered, by text. The president also speaks on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive subjects. It is also well known to Biden's advisors that he has already experienced tragedy. Shortly after his first Senate election in 1972, he lost his wife and infant daughter in an automobile accident. Beau, his 46-year-old son, passed away from brain cancer in 2015.
"This is another heavy brick on the load for a guy who's already experienced great loss and tragedy," Axelrod remarked. "And considering all the other obstacles that come with holding the office of president and running for office, it will take tremendous strength to carry that load."
If Hunter hadn't been the president's son, some Republicans and Democrats questioned whether the case would have been filed. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) recently told HuffPost, "I think any average American who's done their taxes like Hunter Biden would have probably faced prosecution." But I don't believe the typical American would have been prosecuted for the gun issue. I fail to see any positive outcome from that. Like other Republican campaigns, the Trump team attempted to divert attention from Hunter Biden's conviction on Tuesday by focusing on the money he received from his international business ventures.
The national press secretary for the Trump campaign, Karoline Leavitt, released a statement saying, "This trial has been nothing more than a distraction from the real crimes of the Biden Crime Family, which has raked in tens of millions of dollars from China, Russia, and Ukraine." Throughout his business career, Hunter frequently benefited from his family's name, but no concrete proof has surfaced that Joe Biden participated actively in those transactions or made money from them. According to Hunter's pals, he is currently working to overcome his struggles with addiction, in part by owning up to his mistakes and expressing apologies.
Prosecutors used his 2021 memoir, "Beautiful Things," as evidence during the trial because they perceived it as kind of a confession. Hunter Biden has become more visible in recent months as he resists Republican probes. Similar to the recently finished tax trial, David Weiss, the special counsel, is leading the September trial, which might result in similar unpleasant moments for Hunter and the Biden family. Prosecutors plan to present a detailed picture of Hunter's spending habits during the scheduled Los Angeles hearing. According to the indictment, a significant portion of Hunter's income was allocated for “drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes.”
Similar to the gun case, Hunter's attorneys claim that their client paid all of his taxes three years prior and that the prosecution would not have pursued charges against an average citizen. Sept. 5 is the start date of that trial, which is precisely two months before Election Day.
