(RepublicanReport.org) – On Tuesday, June 11, Hunter Biden was found guilty of three felony charges related to a gun purchase he made in 2018. He was the first child of a sitting president to be convicted of a crime. In the aftermath, President Joe Biden released a statement.
Joe Biden’s Statement on Son’s Conviction
After the jury returned the guilty verdict, President Joe Biden spoke out. He reaffirmed his speech from when the trial began, saying he’s “also a dad” in addition to being the country’s leader. “Jill and I love our son,” he said, “and we are so proud of the man he is today.” He acknowledged his son’s prior issues and pride for his “com[ing] out the other side.” However, Biden also made it clear that he “accept[s] the outcome” of the trial.
The president said he “will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal” and that he and his wife “will always be there” for their son “with [their] love and support. Nothing will ever change that.” Biden has also said he would not pardon his son.
MSNBC legal analyst Andrew Weissmann appeared on “MSNBC Reports” after Hunter was convicted and addressed President Biden’s handling of the situation. He praised him for not getting involved in the Department of Justice’s prosecution and for accepting the outcome of the case gracefully, calling him the “living embodiment of the rule of law.” Weissmann also acknowledged that these types of charges are rarely brought and typically only if someone is a felon and in possession of a weapon.
Biden Meets With Hunter in Emotional Moment
Later the same day, after the jury returned the verdict, President Biden flew to Delaware, where the trial took place. He cleared his schedule to do so. The president met his son on the tarmac, where the two shared an emotional embrace and Biden kissed Hunter’s head.
What’s Next?
Hunter is fully expected to appeal the conviction, with his attorneys reportedly planning out a number of avenues, including one where they will claim that the judge violated Biden’s constitutional rights when she provided instructions to the jury. Additionally, they will likely bring the Supreme Court’s New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen 2022 decision into it. The Bruen case expanded gun rights.
Hunter’s attorneys cannot file an appeal until he is sentenced. He is facing 25 years in prison and up to a $750,000 fine, though he’s expected to receive a lighter penalty.
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