By Natalia Rueda 
Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, withdrew his guilty plea for tax crimes on Wednesday, raising questions about the validity of the plea agreement and the role of the Trump-appointed prosecutor in the case. Hunter Biden had agreed to plead guilty to two counts of tax evasion and admit to illegal gun possession in exchange for probation, but the deal was put on hold after Judge Maryellen Noreika expressed doubts about it.
The plea deal had been seen as a way to protect Hunter Biden from any charges that might arise from a broader investigation into his business dealings. But the judge’s questions about why gun possession was included in a tax case, and whether the agreement protected Biden from other charges, could not be answered by prosecutors. As a result, Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor tax crimes.
The case has been a source of political attacks from Republicans, who accuse prosecutors of giving Biden a deal overly favorable to their interests. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre noted Wednesday that Hunter Biden was “a private citizen. It was a personal matter.” She added that the case was “handled independently by the Justice Department under the direction of a prosecutor appointed by President Trump.”
The charges against Hunter Biden stem from his failure to timely file tax returns on earnings of more than $1.5 million in 2017 and 2018. He faced up to 12 months in prison for each tax charge and a possible maximum of 10 years for the gun possession charge. Prosecutors had raised his probation on the tax charges after Biden paid what he owed, according to his attorney. The gun possession charge was to be suspended and then dropped if Biden completed a “diversion of judgment,” which often involves counseling or rehabilitation.
The Biden family has expressed their support for Hunter Biden as he continues to rebuild his life. “The president and first lady love their son and support him,” Jean-Pierre said. It remains to be seen what the outcome of the case will be, but it is clear that Hunter Biden’s legal troubles are far from over.