Hunter Biden to appear in Delaware court for federal firearm charges

Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, is anticipated to enter a plea of not guilty for charges related to illegally possessing a handgun. Prosecutors allege that Biden lied about his drug use on application forms when purchasing the weapon in 2018. Despite admitting to being heavily dependent on crack cocaine at the time, Biden denies any wrongdoing. If convicted of the three federal counts, he could face up to 25 years in prison. A proposed plea deal to settle the charges broke down in July, leading to Biden's indictment. The charges stem from his acquisition of a revolver in 2018, which he retained for approximately 11 days. The case revolves around claims that Biden lied about his drug use on the forms and possessed a firearm while using drugs. His attorney stated that Biden will plead not guilty. The hearing will take place in Wilmington, Delaware, the hometown of the Bidens. The gun in question was discovered by Biden's sister-in-law, Hallie Biden, who discarded it due to concerns about his safety. It was later retrieved and returned to the store, prompting investigations by Delaware police and the US Secret Service. Earlier attempts at a plea deal saw Biden agreeing to admit illegal possession of a firearm and undergoing addiction treatment and monitoring. However, the deal fell apart, and the judge in the case raised doubts about its resolution of the gun charge. While tax charges were dismissed, it is expected that they will be refiled or replaced in Washington DC or California. Biden has also filed a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, claiming that agents shared his private tax information to target and embarrass him. This legal case could potentially coincide with his father's re-election campaign as president.