Los Angeles— A federal court arraignment Thursday saw Hunter Biden, the last surviving son of President Joe Biden, plead not guilty to nine tax-related offenses.
Hunter Biden appeared in Los Angeles before Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi. The former president appeared in court this week on allegations of seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
After a 30-minute hearing, Scarsi said the court "appreciates that and notes it for the record." Biden had met his release conditions. Scarsi suggested a June 20 trial, months before the 2024 presidential election.
After being indicted in the Central District of California for tax evasion, Biden was arraigned a month later. From 2016 until October 2020, Biden, who has openly discussed his addiction,
“spent this money on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature” according to prosecutors.
David Weiss, Trump's Delaware U.S. attorney, was chosen special counsel by Merrick Garland in August and presented the case.
He was appointed after a plea deal for Biden fell apart in July in a Delaware federal courthouse after a judge questioned two plea deals:
one involving tax charges and the other a rarely used gun charge that makes it illegal for a "unlawful user" of "any controlled substance" to possess a firearm, which could be used against millions of Americans who own guns and use marijuana.