Hunter Biden’s Guilty Plea Angers MAGA

The news of Hunter Biden agreeing to take a plea deal on federal misdemeanor charges has caused anger amongst several prominent Trump-loyalist politicians in the MAGA movement.

Hunter Biden, the 53-year-old son of President Joe Biden, has become a subject of intense right-wing scrutiny over his past personal struggles and various international business dealings, which many conservatives claimed, without evidence, that his father had a direct hand in. In late 2020, it was confirmed that the younger Biden faced a federal criminal investigation into his tax history.

On Tuesday, after over two years of investigation, Biden tentatively accepted a plea deal brokered by the U.S. Attorney for Delaware who had been overseeing the case. As part of the deal, he would plead guilty to two federal misdemeanor counts stemming from his failure to pay past taxes. He still faces a charge for unlawful firearm possession, but court documents obtained by NBC News indicated that this could be dismissed if he agrees to certain conditions.

Despite Biden pleading guilty to certain charges, numerous lawmakers in the far-right MAGA movement expressed anger on Tuesday, decrying the development as a “sweetheart deal” or little more than “a traffic ticket.”

Some also compared the deal to the recent federal criminal charges leveled against former President Donald Trump in the Mar-a-Lago documents case, despite the considerable differences between the two cases.

In his tweet on the matter, Senator Rick Scott of Florida made reference to “The Big Guy,” in reference to President Biden. The phrase originates from a text sent by Hunter Biden discussing the need to share a portion of certain business profits with “the Big Guy,” which many conservatives have claimed, without evidence, referred to his father. The president and his team have consistently denied any involvement with his son’s business dealings.

A slap on the wrist for Hunter Biden while “The Big Guy” continues to hunt down his top political opponent.

This doesn’t show equal justice. It’s a mockery of our legal system by a family that has no respect for our laws.

— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) June 20, 2023

Consistent among the arguments made by the various MAGA Republicans was the insinuation that President Biden intervened in the case to secure a lighter deal for his son than he might otherwise have gotten. No evidence of this alleged intervention exists, with some arguing online that Trump could have brokered a similar plea if he listened to his lawyers.

Others have also highlighted the fact that the U.S. Attorney assigned to Biden’s case, David Weiss was a Trump appointee, and that the president at no point attempted to have him replaced with a potentially more sympathetic investigator, casting doubts on allegations that he intervened on his son’s behalf.

Hunter Biden pleading guilty to a gun charge and misdemeanor tax charges with no jail time is a stunt to make him look like he is just cooperating with the DOJ.

Meanwhile the pathetic and weaponized DOJ who protects their puppet President and refuses to prosecute Joe Biden and…

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) June 20, 2023

Hunter Biden’s attorney, Chris Clarke said in a statement to Newsweek: “With the announcement of two agreements between my client, Hunter Biden, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware, it is my understanding that the five-year investigation into Hunter is resolved. Hunter will take responsibility for two instances of misdemeanor failure to file tax payments when due pursuant to a plea agreement.

“A firearm charge, which will be subject to a pretrial diversion agreement and will not be the subject of the plea agreement, will also be filed by the Government. I know Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life. He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward.”