Hunter Biden's 'shocking' guilty plea to tax charges unpacked by former federal prosecutor

WASHINGTON, DC: Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani has revealed that Hunter Biden pled guilty to tax charges because he is very likely to get a pardon from his father, President Joe Biden, according to The US Sun.

Hunter Biden unexpectedly admitted on Thursday, September 7, that he intentionally avoided paying $1.4 million in income tax between 2016 and 2019.

Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to tax charges as he has 'pardon lined up'

Neama Rahmani informed the media outlet that the guilty plea on Thursday only makes sense if Hunter is expecting a pardon from his father after November’s election.

Rahmani said, "Surprise is an understatement, I was shocked at Hunter’s guilty plea. It’s incredibly rare for a defendant to plead open, which means there is not a plea agreement."

The former prosecutor added, "When you do so you have to accept all the charges in the indictment, complaint, or other charging document. You can’t pick and choose. If you plead pursuant to a plea agreement, almost always the prosecution will drop charges and/or recommend a reduced sentence."

He further added, "To plead guilty on the day of trial as the jurors are walking in, with no notice whatsoever makes no sense unless Hunter Biden has a pardon lined up already."

Hunter Biden's sentencing to be held on December 16

The first son is facing up to 17 years in prison when he is sentenced on December 16 for the tax offenses, per The US Sun. He is also due to be sentenced on November 13 on gun charges and would be facing up to 25 years in prison over that case.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that Joe Biden would not pardon Hunter even after the guilty plea on Thursday. Jean-Pierre told reporters, "It's no, it's still no" when asked if the plea had changed Biden’s mind if he would consider a pardon.

However, Rahmani said that by delaying his plea, Hunter provided an opportunity for his father to pardon him in the final days of his presidency. 

Rahmani added, "I think the pardon is going to happen after the election and the only advantage of what Hunter Biden did is that it will delay the sentencing until then. He could have pleaded guilty weeks or months ago but that would put sentencing before the election."

He also said, "By waiting until the last minute and eleventh hour he pushed sentencing back because probation needs three months to prepare a pre-sentence report. By pleading yesterday that pushed it out strategically into December."

He further added, "The White House is going to say all sorts of things during a presidential election but that doesn’t mean that’s going to come to pass."