#NewsBytesExplainer: Why President Joe Biden's son may face serious charges
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) may press "serious charges" against Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden's son, former US Attorney General William Barr said. Hunter is facing a DOJ probe into alleged tax offenses and making false statements while purchasing firearms in the US. Barr, who was the Attorney General when the inquiry began, spoke to CBS News about the investigation on Saturday.
First, look at what former Attorney General Barr said
Mentioning a recent meeting between federal prosecutors, Delaware authorities, and Hunter's attorneys, Barr said, "There's probably been a lot of hand-wringing in many different places, but I assume that the defense went in there to try to see what they think would be a way to resolve this without serious charges against Hunter Biden." "I suspect that they're going to be unsuccessful," he added.
Hunter's case 'complicated,' requires collaboration with IRS: Barr
Furthermore, Barr said that the tax case against Hunter is "complicated" and requires collaboration with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), according to Newsweek. He added that the DOJ might also look into allegations leveled by the Republicans against the president's son.
Barr alleges Hunter committed 'abuses of power,' doubts conviction
Barr believes Hunter committed "abuses of power," but questioned whether Hunter would be found guilty in a court of law. "I joined the conclusion that there was a lot of shameful self-dealing and influence peddling and so forth. I think the American people should take note. That should be explained and shown to the American people," he reportedly said.
Hunter facing 'legal scrutiny' by Republican lawmakers too
Apart from the DOJ probe, Hunter is reportedly facing "legal scrutiny" from House Republicans for his business transactions. Republican MPs have accused him of wrongdoing in his business connections with foreign corporations, including some affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). They claimed that Hunter may have abused his father's position as vice president under former President Barack Obama's tenure from 2009 to 2017.
DOJ investigation faced criticism
Notably, the DOJ has come under fire for suspected mismanagement of the Hunter investigation. According to Gary Shapley, an IRS veteran and whistleblower in the case, various phases of the inquiry were "slow-walked" or "just completely not done." "When I took control of this particular investigation, I immediately saw deviations from the normal process," Shapley said.
Know more about case against Hunter
A federal grand jury in Delaware has been investigating Hunter's taxes and offshore business operations since at least 2018 when former President Donald Trump's administration was in power. Republicans have questioned whether he had used his father's influential position as the vice president during 2009-17 to serve on the board of a Ukrainian energy business and attempt to strike agreements in China, too.
Know about whistleblower Shapley
Reportedly, Shapley oversaw the DOJ's criminal investigations division, where he supervised agents probing international tax and financial crimes. He was assigned to the Hunter case in January 2020 and began documenting his concerns around June of that year. In October 2020, there were speculations that Hunter would be charged after the November midterms. However, the DOJ has not announced any charges even months later.
Republicans may use case against US president in next elections
Republicans are likely to exploit the Hunter case to inflict political harm on Biden, who has announced his bid for the 2024 US elections. The onslaught on Hunter in the 2020 campaign has abated, but he has been adopting an increasingly public role with Biden, appearing at a state banquet honoring French President Emmanuel Macron, the Kennedy Center Honors, and on recent foreign trips.
