GOP House Leaders Vow to Press Biden Probe Despite Plea Deal

WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill vowed on Tuesday to continue to press their investigations into Hunter Biden, despite the plea deal on tax crimes and unlawful possession of a weapon that will shield the president’s son from further criminal prosecution.

In court documents filed Tuesday, Biden, long the object of GOP scrutiny, pleaded guilty to misdemeanors related to the late payment of his taxes for 2017 and 2018.

As part of the deal, the Justice Department will charge but not prosecute Biden in connection with his purchase of a handgun in 2018 during a period when he was using drugs.

The deal is contingent on Biden remaining drug free for 24 months and agreeing never to buy or own a firearm again.

Despite the fanfare that accompanied the court filing Tuesday, the agreement must still be approved by a federal judge. As of Tuesday afternoon there was no word on the exact timing of Biden’s surrender to be arraigned on the charges and enter his plea.

Not surprisingly, the response to all this on Capitol Hill was divided along party lines.

“It continues to show the two-tier system in America,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told reporters on the Hill. 

“If you are the president’s leading political opponent, the DOJ tries to literally put you in jail and give you prison time,” he said. “If you are the president’s son, you get a sweetheart deal.”

McCarthy said rather than slow investigations in the Republican-controlled House, the plea deal “should enhance our investigations because the DOJ should not be able to withhold any information.”

“They should be able to provide Chairman Comer with any information that he requires,” McCarthy added.

The speaker was referring to House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., who told reporters, “Hunter Biden is getting away with a slap on the wrist when growing evidence uncovered by the House Oversight Committee reveals the Bidens engaged in a pattern of corruption, influence peddling and possibly bribery.

“We will not rest until the full extent of President Biden’s involvement in the family’s schemes [is] revealed,” Comer said.

The Oversight Committee has been investigating Hunter Biden and other members of the Biden family for alleged involvement in influence peddling with foreign companies. 

In April, it was reported that prosecutors were considering four possible charges against Hunter Biden, including two misdemeanor counts for failure to file taxes, a felony count of tax evasion related to a business expense for one year of taxes, and a potential felony charge for a 2018 gun purchase in which he may have falsely stated on a form that he did not have a drug problem.

U.S. Attorney David Weiss, a Trump appointee the Biden administration retained following Trump’s presidency, made the final determinations on charging to pursue the investigation into Hunter Biden.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the leading Democrat on the Oversight Committee, criticized Republicans for their outcry regarding the actions of a U.S. attorney appointed by Trump. 

Raskin emphasized that the charges against Hunter Biden demonstrated the ongoing institutional independence of the Justice Department. 

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., a prominent ally of President Biden, praised Hunter Biden for “taking responsibility for his actions, paying the taxes that he owes and preparing to move on with his life.”

Trump himself took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to bemoan the deal while he himself is in the crosshairs of federal prosecution, likening the charges Biden will plead to “to a mere traffic ticket.” 

“The corrupt Biden DOJ just cleared up hundreds of years of criminal liability. … Our system is BROKEN!” Trump wrote.

As for the president and the first lady, they were largely silent on Tuesday’s developments.

Ian Sams, a White House spokesman, said only that the Biden’s love their son and will support him as he continues to rebuild his life.

“We will have no further comment,” Sams said.

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