Special counsel charges Hunter Biden in California tax evasion indictment

Special Counsel David C. Weiss and his two Senior Assistant Special Counsel attorneys, Leo Wise and Derek E. Hines filed federal tax evasion charges against President Biden’s son, Hunter, in California on Thursday.

The nine-count, 56-page indictment was filed in Los Angeles in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, according to court documents made public.

The indictment charges Hunter Biden’s failure to pay nearly $200,000 of income tax during the tax year 2019 and arises out of a Los Angeles federal grand jury that has been probing the case.

The president’s son pleaded not guilty in October to federal gun charges in U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware after Weiss charged him as part of a years-long investigation. 

That plea came after a guilty plea fell apart when the presiding judge to federal prosecutors that she would not accept a global disposition that also absolved the president’s son of potential violations for purported foreign lobbying.

Thursday's indictment comes amid debate among House Republicans on a measure that would commence an impeachment inquiry into President Biden over possible ties to his son's business dealings.

Earlier this week, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, released subpoenaed bank records that revealed Hunter Biden owned an entity that purportedly made "direct monthly payments to Joe Biden."

Comer praised federal prosecutors for the Los Angeles federal indictment and attributed the glory to “two brave IRS whistleblowers, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler.”

Both Shapley and Ziegler came forward earlier this year and asserted their belief before Congress that the Justice Department was intentionally slow walking investigations into the president’s son.

“The Department of Justice got caught in its attempt to give Hunter Biden an unprecedented sweetheart plea deal," Comer said. "Every American should applaud these men for their courage to expose the truth.”

“Unless U.S. Attorney Weiss investigates everyone involved in the Bidens’ fraud schemes and influence peddling, it will be clear President Biden’s DOJ is protecting Hunter Biden and the big guy.”

The White House has insisted that the president had no knowledge of his son's business dealings and has done nothing illegal.

But House Republicans are pressing forward, aiming to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress if he does not appear for a Dec. 13 closed-door deposition with legislators.