A federal judge in California has issued a warning of potential sanctions against Hunter Biden's legal team for allegedly making false statements in a court filing related to the tax case against President Joe Biden's son. U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi accused the lawyers of misrepresenting the history of the case by claiming that no charges were brought until after Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss was named special counsel in August 2023.
Judge Scarsi clarified that Weiss had actually charged Hunter Biden with misdemeanor tax offenses before being appointed as special counsel, leading to the plea deal falling apart last year. The judge has demanded an explanation from Hunter Biden's lawyers as to why they should not face sanctions for their statements.
Attorney Mark Geragos, representing Hunter Biden, defended the legal team's position, stating that Weiss, as Delaware U.S. attorney, lacked the authority to file tax charges in California until after his appointment as special counsel.
The court filing sought to dismiss the tax case against Hunter Biden, which alleges a tax evasion scheme amounting to $1.4 million and is set for trial in September. The defense team referenced a ruling by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in a separate case involving former President Trump, where charges were dismissed due to an allegedly illegal appointment of the special counsel.
Meanwhile, special counsel Jack Smith, who filed charges against Trump, has appealed the dismissal in a federal appeals court, arguing that the Justice Department followed established precedent in his appointment. Hunter Biden's legal team is pushing for a similar outcome in his tax and firearm cases in California and Delaware, respectively.
Hunter Biden was recently convicted of three felony charges in the firearm case in Delaware, where he was found guilty of lying about his drug use on a federal form to purchase a firearm. The tax case in California focuses on over $1.4 million in unpaid taxes over four years, which prosecutors claim Hunter Biden failed to pay. The back taxes have since been settled.
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