President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, pleaded guilty Thursday to federal tax charges, a surprise move he said was meant to spare his family another painful and embarrassing criminal trial after his gun case conviction just months ago.
Hunter Biden's decision to plead guilty to misdemeanor and felony charges without the benefits of a deal with prosecutors came hours after jury selection was supposed to begin in the case accusing him of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes.
The president's son is facing potential prison time after his June conviction on felony gun charges in a trial that aired unflattering and salacious details about his struggles with a crack cocaine addiction. The tax trial was expected to showcase more potentially lurid evidence as well as details about Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings, which Republicans have seized on to try to paint the Biden family as corrupt.
"I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy and needless embarrassment," Hunter Biden said in an emailed statement after he entered his plea. "For all I have put them through over the years, I can spare them this, and so I have decided to plead guilty."
Although President Biden's decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential election muted the potential political implications of the tax case, the trial was expected to carry a heavy emotional toll for the president in the final months of his five-decade political career.
"Hunter put his family first today, and it was a brave and loving thing for him to do," defense attorney Abbe Lowell told reporters outside the federal courthouse in Los Angeles.
Hunter Biden, 54, quickly responded "guilty" as the judge read out each of the nine counts. The charges carry up to 17 years behind bars, but federal sentencing guidelines are likely to call for a much shorter sentence. He faces up to $1.35 million in fines.
Sentencing is set for December 16 in front of U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi, who was nominated to the bench by former President Donald Trump.
He faces sentencing in the Delaware case on Nov. 13 — the week after the general election. Those charges are punishable by up to 25 years in prison, though he is likely to get far less time or avoid prison entirely.
Hunter Biden showed no emotion as he walked out of the courthouse holding his wife's hand. He ignored questions shouted at him by reporters before climbing into an SUV and driving off.
