Hunter Biden is expected to plead not guilty to three federal gun charges, his lawyer told the judge Tuesday.
Special Counsel David Weiss charged Hunter Biden on Thursday with one count of false statement in the purchase of a firearm, one count of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance, and one count of false statement related to information required to be kept by federal firearms licensed dealer.
Hunter Biden could face up to 25 years in prison and a $750,000 fine, though his lawyers claim the charges against him will be dismissed before trial.
“Mr. Biden also will enter a plea of not guilty, and there is no reason why he cannot utter those two words by video conference,” Abbe Lowell stated.
“Hunter Biden possessing an unloaded gun for 11 day [sic] was not a threat to public safety, but a prosecutor, with all the power imaginable, bending to political pressure presents a grave threat to our system of justice,” Lowell said. “We believe these charges are barred by the agreement the prosecutors made with Mr. Biden, the recent rulings by several federal courts that this statute is unconstitutional, and the facts that he did not violate that law, and we plan to demonstrate all of that in court.”
Lowell also asked the court for permission for Hunter Biden to appear before the judge via video:
…to minimize an unnecessary burden on government resources and the disruption to the courthouse and downtown areas when a person protected by the Secret Service flies across the country and then must be transported to and from a downtown location.
“We respectfully request that the Court hold Mr. Biden’s initial appearance in this matter by video conference,” Lowell said.
Biden “is not seeking any special treatment in making this request,” Lowell added. “He has attended and will attend any proceedings in which his physical appearance is required.”
Moving forward, Hunter Biden could stand trial if Weiss does not offer him a plea deal, as he previously did in July when the “sweetheart” deal fell apart under judicial scrutiny. Charges could be dismissed before trial.
Authorities previously fingerprinted and mugshot Hunter Biden in July when his plea deal collapsed, CNN reported. The photo was not made public because it was in federal court.
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.
