The White House is preparing for potential political fallout as federal prosecutors near a decision on whether to charge Hunter Biden, the US president's son, with tax crimes and lying about drug use when purchasing a handgun. The investigation, led by Delaware's top federal prosecutor David Weiss, appears to be nearing completion, with Hunter's lawyers meeting with Weiss at the Justice Department last month.
Republicans are expected to seize on any criminal case against Hunter, 53, to damage President Joe Biden's re-election campaign, announced last week. Hunter has taken on a more public role recently, appearing at a state dinner for French President Emmanuel Macron and on a trip to Ireland, but his legal troubles could pose significant political risks.
The investigation, ongoing since 2018, focuses on Hunter's taxes and foreign business dealings, including his role on the board of a Ukrainian energy company and efforts to strike deals in China. In October, reports indicated federal agents believed they had enough evidence to charge him with failing to report all income to the IRS and making a false statement about drug use when buying a gun in 2018.
Hunter has acknowledged his past struggles with drug addiction, including smoking crack in 2018, yet allegedly denied being an unlawful user of controlled substances on a gun purchase form. If prosecutors decide to charge him, it would provide a political gift to Republicans, who have struggled to gain traction with corruption claims against the Biden family.
Hunter's legal and financial woes continue to mount. Last week, he was ordered to appear in a paternity case in Arkansas, seeking to lower child support payments from $20,000 a month. Republicans in the House have opened investigations into his business dealings, and an IRS agent has requested whistleblower protection over alleged political interference in the tax probe.
Reports suggest growing disagreement between the White House and Hunter's team over how to handle the situation. Hunter has hired lawyer Abbe Lowell for a more aggressive approach and plans to create a legal defence fund to cover mounting bills, which have reportedly left him millions of dollars in debt.
