In a significant legal development, a federal judge in California, Judge Mark Scarsi, has dismissed all eight motions filed by Hunter Biden to drop felony tax charges against him. In a detailed 82-page decision, Judge Scarsi, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, addressed various claims made by Biden’s legal team during the proceedings in a Los Angeles courtroom.
Among the claims considered was the allegation that Special Counsel David Weiss was improperly appointed and that the charges against Biden were politically motivated. Judge Scarsi found these arguments unpersuasive, noting that Biden’s legal team provided “virtually no evidence” to substantiate a bias against Biden by Weiss’s team. He criticized the defense’s reliance on news articles and social media posts as evidence, stating that these sources do not constitute legitimate evidence.
Additionally, the judge dismissed the argument concerning Weiss’s appointment as special counsel, indicating that Biden’s lawyers failed to present a compelling reason why Weiss should not have been appointed. Another of Biden’s arguments that was rejected involved two IRS agents who had initially worked on the investigation and later acted as whistleblowers; the judge found this did not warrant dismissal of the case.
Prosecutors charge that Biden willfully failed to pay his taxes on time and submitted fraudulent tax forms. While Biden’s attorneys acknowledge that the taxes were paid late, they contend that all dues, including penalties and interest, have been settled.
With this ruling, Hunter Biden’s trial is set to commence on June 20, although his legal team, led by attorney Abbe Lowell, has indicated plans to appeal Judge Scarsi’s decision. Lowell emphasized their commitment to “vigorously pursue Mr. Biden’s challenges.”
Hunter Biden also faces separate federal gun charges in Delaware, overseen by Judge Maryellen Noreika, who has yet to decide on similar motions to dismiss the charges. Depending on her ruling, that trial could begin as soon as June 3, before the tax trial in California.
