Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden loses bid to dismiss gun charges

A federal judge in Delaware declined on Friday to dismiss gun charges against Hunter Biden, one of two criminal cases against Joe Biden’s son, as the Democratic U.S. president ramps up his re-election campaign .

U.S. District Judge Marilyn Noreka in Wilmington dismissed Hunter Biden’s request to dismiss two counts of lying about using illegal narcotics and illegal possession of a Colt Cobra handgun in 2018. Weapon Count 3.

The ruling clears the way for a trial on the gun charges, which is tentatively scheduled to begin June 3 in Wilmington. Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty.

Special counsel David Weiss brought the gun charges in September, when Hunter Biden became the first child of a sitting president to be indicted. If convicted of the gun charges, he faces more than 20 years in prison.

Donald Trump, the Republican candidate seeking re-election as president in the November 5 US election, faces four criminal indictments of his own.

Hunter Biden’s lawyers have argued that the gun charges should be dismissed for a variety of reasons, including that the U.S. Supreme Court expanded gun rights in a 2022 ruling that set a tough new test. The law that determined Hunter Biden was charged may be unconstitutional. The legality of gun restrictions.

Biden’s legal team also argued that Weiss’ appointment was inappropriate, that Hunter Biden was being selectively prosecuted and that he had a binding agreement that protected him from prosecution.

Hunter Biden has also pleaded not guilty to federal tax crimes in a separate case filed by Weiss in California, and faces up to 17 years in prison if convicted. The trial is scheduled to begin on June 20.

The special prosecutor alleges Hunter Biden failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019 while spending millions on drugs, escorts, exotic cars and other high-priced items. On April 1, U.S. District Judge Mark Scaci in Los Angeles rejected Hunter Biden’s motion to dismiss the tax prosecution.