President Joe Biden’s son Hunter pleaded not guilty — for now — on two tax charges Wednesday after an earlier plea deal fell apart when a judge scrutinized a related agreement regarding a more significant gun possession charge.
Earlier on Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika refused to sign off on a previous agreement Hunter Biden made with prosecutors in which he’d plead guilty to two misdemeanor charges for failure to pay taxes and enter a diversion program in place of pleading guilty to felony gun possession as an admitted drug user.
As discussed in court Wednesday, Biden will reverse his not guilty plea if his lawyers and prosecutors can agree in the next few weeks on a plea deal that satisfies Noreika. She has asked each side to submit additional briefs detailing the legal structure of the potential new agreement.
As part of the previous agreement, prosecutors planned to recommend two years of probation for his failure to pay taxes on more than $3 million he earned between 2017 and 2018. The diversion program required Biden to remain drug free for two years and not commit any additional crimes in exchange for dismissal of the gun charge, which concerned his possession of a Colt Cobra .38 Special for 11 days in October 2018.
But Noreika said in court Wednesday she had concerns about the details of the diversion agreement, specifically a clause about not prosecuting Biden for tax crimes in the future. She also raised concern that Biden might only be pleading guilty to the misdemeanor tax charges because of the diversion agreement.
“I think having you guys talk more makes sense,” Noreika told prosecutors and Biden’s legal team before sending them off to discuss the terms of the deal.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.