Judge denies Hunter Biden’s motion to dismiss tax charges

Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, is facing two criminal trials this summer after a federal judge rejected his bid to dismiss a string of tax charges. US District Judge Mark Scarsi threw out all eight motions filed by Hunter Biden’s attorneys, including the argument that the charges were brought due to pressure from the president’s Republican critics.

The decision paves the way for Hunter Biden to head to trial in California on 20 June, just days after his first trial on gun-related charges in Delaware. Prosecutors allege that Hunter Biden made millions of dollars in income between 2016 and 2020, enjoying a lavish lifestyle while skipping out on over $1.4 million in taxes.

The indictment states that Hunter Biden engaged in a four-year scheme to evade taxes and fund his extravagant lifestyle, which included spending money on drugs, escorts, luxury hotels, exotic cars, and more. Despite pleading not guilty to the charges in both cases, Hunter Biden is also awaiting trial on federal gun-related charges.

The charges against Hunter Biden came after a plea deal with the Justice Department fell apart in court. The judge refused to accept the scope of the deal, which would have seen Hunter Biden plead guilty to tax misdemeanours in exchange for not being charged with a gun possession violation.

Hunter Biden’s attorneys have argued that the charges are politically motivated to damage his father’s reelection campaign. With trials set for this summer, the legal battles facing Hunter Biden continue to draw attention and scrutiny.