(LATEST UPDATES AT THE BOTTOM)
After last night’s shenanigans from Team Hunter, it appears his sweetheart deal with the DOJ may be off, according to a reporter following the court proceedings:
BREAKING: The plea deal between the DOJ and Hunter Biden appears to be off, say prosecutors and Biden's defense team.
The two sides were unable to articulate if there is immunity for other crimes (such as FARA violations), with the DOJ saying an investigation is ongoing.
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
DEVELOPING: Lawyers for Hunter Biden have asked for a short recess in order to confer with DOJ prosecutors in hopes of salvaging the deal, which Biden lawyers said was "null and void" due to a lack of a deal on blanket immunity from future prosecution.
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
This is a short summary of where we are as it stands now:
DEVELOPING: Where we stand:
• DOJ/Biden plea deal falling apart
• Judge raised immunity concerns
• DOJ: Investigation into Biden “ongoing”
• DOJ: No immunity for future crimes
• Biden team surprised by this; deal off
• Two sides attempting to salvage deal— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
Here’s what’s happened this morning up to this point:
NEW: Hunter Biden tells the court in his plea hearing that he will plead guilty to all charges.
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
DEVELOPING: The hearing begins without the judge addressing claims a staffer at the firm representing Hunter Biden lied about being a lawyer for a GOP lawmaker in an effort to get a court filing removed from the docket.
It's possible the matter can come up later in the hearing.
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
DEVELOPING: As part of his conditions of release, Hunter Biden cannot drink alcohol or use illegal drugs.
He also can be drug tested at random by court officials.
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
DEVELOPING: DOJ attorneys and lawyers for Hunter Biden say agree the judge does not have the power to order prosecutors to "redo" the probe if she thought "the investigation was lacking."
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
DEVELOPING: Biden says he has been in and out of in-patient treatment "over the course of 20 years."
He says he was primarily treated for alcohol addiction, but also sought treatment for drug addiction (doesn't name what drugs).
Biden claims he's been sober since June 2019.
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
DEVELOPING: Biden says the last time time he was in a drug treatment program was the fall of 2018.
He said he continued to use drugs afterwards.
When asked by the judge, Biden said he was not currently under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
DEVELOPING: DOJ prosecutors reiterate how Biden received a substantial income from companies in China and Ukraine, had funds to pay his taxes, but failed to do so while continuing to spend extravagantly.
They confirm they still recommend probation.
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
DEVELOPING: The hearing is in recess after the judge asked the two sides–DOJ prosecutors and lawyers for Hunter Biden–to explain how the plea deal on the tax crimes and gun charges are related.
The teams are discussing among themselves on how to respond to the question.
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
The question by the judge is, most likely, an effort to get a clear understand on the record of Biden's immunity under the deal.
For example: If Biden were to violate his probation related to the gun charge, would he still be shielded from the tax charges under the deal?
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
UPDATE: It appears Hunter’s plea deal is back on and his blanket immunity from future prosecution is not part of the deal:
UPDATE: Hunter Biden plea deal is back ON. Appears Biden legal team now agrees DOJ could later charge Biden on unrelated issues. More now on @InsidePolitics https://t.co/Bj9Ny4FpB3
— Paula Reid (@PaulaReidCNN) July 26, 2023
DEVELOPING: The plea deal between the DOJ and Hunter Biden appears to be back on.
The two sides met during recess and Biden’s team is agreeing to a more limited plea deal that would provide immunity for the drug, gun and tax crimes (from 2014-2019)—but not future prosecution.
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
UPDATE: From NYT’s Glenn Thrush reporting from the courtroom, saying Hunter Biden wanted BROAD immunity from future prosecution. Talk about a sweetheart deal!
“From the start, the judge seemed highly skeptical of the unusual deal — which offered Hunter Biden broad immunity from prosecution in perpetuity, questioning why it had been filed under a provision that gave her no legal authority to reject it. When she asked Leo Wise, a prosecutor, if there was any precedent for the kind of deal being proposed, he replied, “No, your honor.”
And…
Hunter Biden's legal team appears to be anticipating future prosecution, or at least scrutiny (it showed a willingness to blow up the plea deal without blanket immunity).
Plus, Republicans have a new line of attack against Biden: the DOJ confirms an investigation is ongoing.
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
MAJOR UPDATE:
Hunter Biden has pled NOT guilty to all the charges after the judge stripped his future immunity and the sweetheart plea agreement failed.
🚨BREAKING: Hunter Biden just pleaded NOT GUILTY to all his charges after the judge stripped away immunity from further prosecutions out of his plea deal.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) July 26, 2023
BREAKING: Hunter Biden pleads NOT GUILTY amid the collapsed plea deal with the DOJ.
The judge refuses to accept the deal, arguing there are constitutional concerns on the diversion clause and Biden's immunity.
Lawyers will file briefs explaining the deal's legal structuring.
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 26, 2023
This is a much better explanation of why:
#BREAKING: Hunter Biden pleads NOT GUILTY in a Delaware courtroom on gun and tax charges, REFUSING to accept the plea deal previously laid out by prosecutors.
NBC's Tom Winters says the judge "will not accept or reject the plea agreement" b/c "she wants more information" pic.twitter.com/nrvuV7wt0y
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 26, 2023
And:
🚨 BREAKING: Judge REJECTS Hunter Biden's plea agreement, calling it "a rubber stamp."pic.twitter.com/gaGNGRFFgT
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 26, 2023