Washington: A US prosecutor will seek criminal charges against President Joe Biden’s son Hunter before the end of September, catapulting the case back into the public spotlight as the president ramps up his reelection bid.
David Weiss, who was appointed US special counsel by US Attorney General Merrick Garland in August, said in a court filing that the government would seek a grand jury indictment before the September 29 deadline under the Speedy Trial Act.
Hunter Biden leaves after a court appearance in July.Credit: AP
An attorney for Hunter Biden did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“The government intends to seek the return of an indictment in this case before that date,” wrote Weiss in a status report to US District Judge Maryellen Noreika.
In July, Noreika rejected a proposed plea deal that would have resolved the tax and gun charges, raising concerns over its legality and the scope of immunity it offered Hunter Biden.
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Hunter Biden’s lawyers said in court filings last month that prosecutors reneged on a plea deal that would have resolved the charges, raising the possibility of a criminal trial as the 2024 presidential election approaches.
Under that proposed plea arrangement, Hunter Biden would have pleaded guilty to not paying taxes on $US1.5 million in income between 2017 and 2018 and entered into a separate deferred prosecution agreement for illegally owning a firearm while using drugs, a felony.
The case has become a political lightning rod. Republicans in Congress have raised the possibility of impeaching Biden over his son’s business dealings and accuse the Department of Justice of giving him a “sweetheart deal.”