Prosecutor attributes Hunter Biden’s conviction to ‘illegal choices,’ not addiction

Special counsel David Weiss said Tuesday that the guilty verdict in the Hunter Biden gun case was about the first son’s “illegal choices” and not his drug addiction.

Weiss, the prosecutor leading the case against President Joe Biden’s son, made a brief statement after Hunter Biden was found guilty on all three charges related to a 2018 gun purchase. The special counsel argued the two themes for the case made by the prosecution were the younger Biden’s “illegal choices and the rule of law.”

“While there has been much testimony about the defendant’s abuse of drugs and alcohol, ultimately, this case was not just about addiction — a disease that haunts families across the United States, including Hunter Biden’s family,” Weiss said.

“This case was about the illegal choices defendant made, while in the throes of addiction, his choice to lie on a government form when he bought a gun, and the choice to then possess that gun,” he said. “It was these choices and the combination of guns and drugs that made his conduct dangerous.”

Weiss also emphasized that prosecutors showed no one is above the law — a sentiment also emphasized by prosecutors who secured a conviction against former President Donald Trump last month in New York.

“Everyone must be accountable for their actions, even this defendant,” Weiss said. “However, Hunter Biden should be no more accountable than any other citizen convicted of this same conduct. The prosecution has been and will continue to be committed to this principle and to the principles of federal prosecution and carrying out its responsibility.”

Weiss thanked the jury, his team of prosecutors, and Attorney General Merrick Garland, whom Joe Biden appointed. The special counsel specifically thanked Garland for providing necessary support to his team and for “ensuring that we have the independence to appropriately pursue our investigations and prosecution.”

The first son was found guilty on charges of lying on a federal form about his drug use to purchase a revolver, submitting a false statement into a federal record, and unlawfully possessing the firearm for 11 days. He faces up to 25 years in prison, although he will likely not receive the maximum penalty as a first-time offender.

Hunter Biden will be sentenced for his conviction in federal court in Delaware at a later date, but he is also facing prosecution from Weiss in California on nine tax crimes. The trial for the case in the Golden State is scheduled to begin in September.

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Joe Biden said in a statement on Tuesday that he is proud of his son for his battle against drug addiction and also added that he would respect the jury’s decision.

The White House announced hours after the first son’s conviction that the president would travel to Wilmington, Delaware, later Tuesday afternoon. Both Hunter Biden and first lady Jill Biden are in Wilmington.