Earlier this summer, Hunter Biden was found guilty of three criminal gun charges in Delaware federal court. His second criminal trial was all set to kick off with jury selection in Los Angeles on Thursday – until he decided to shock everyone with a guilty plea.
On Thursday’s show, Megyn reacted to the surprising about face and had a theory on why Biden was suddenly willing to accept responsibility.
The Charges
After Biden’s plea deal on gun and tax charges fell apart in spectacular fashion last summer, Special Counsel David Weiss charged the first son with three felonies and six misdemeanors related to over $1 million in back taxes that were subsequently paid off.
“These tax evasion charges were just a light, pathetic version of what ought to be brought against him,” Megyn noted. “But it’s all that was left under the statute of limitations, and it only was brought because those whistleblowers came forward and the U.S. attorney in this case… was forced to try the case after the judge caught him trying to give Hunter an enormous sweetheart plea deal.”
In the indictment, Weiss alleged that Biden “engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019, from in or about January 2017 through in or about October 15, 2020, and to evade the assessment of taxes for tax year 2018 when he filed false returns in or about February 2020.”
Weiss alleged Biden “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills. Ultimately, the special counsel suggested the first son of “willfully failed to pay his 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 taxes on time, despite having access to funds to pay some or all of these taxes” and “willfully failed to file his 2017 and 2018 tax returns on time.”
The Surprise Plea
Biden had pleaded ‘not guilty’ to all the charges against him and the trial, overseen by U.S. District Court Judge Mark Scarsi, was set to begin on Thursday. He arrived at court with his wife, Melissa Cohen, and legal team at which point his attorney, Abbe Lowell, indicated he was prepared to change his plea – much to the surprise of prosecutors.
Initially, Lowell sought to enter an Alford plea, which is a technicality that allows defendants to plead guilty but maintain innocence. Federal prosecutors were opposed to the move and pointed to the mountain of evidence the government had against Biden, which even Lowell admitted was “overwhelming.”
After hours of hearings and several breaks, Scarsi allowed Biden to enter a standard guilty plea and the first son pleaded guilty to each of the nine charges. He remains free on bond until sentencing on December 16.
Lowell said his client “decided to enter his plea to protect those he loves from unnecessary hurt and cruel humiliation” and “prevent that kind of show trial that would not have provided all the facts or served any real point in justice.” He also said they will pursue appeal options.
The president’s son also released a statement. “I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy and needless embarrassment,” he said. “For all I have put them through over the years, I can spare them this, and so I have decided to plead guilty.”
Potential Pardon
In the wake of his son’s gun conviction, President Joe Biden said he would not pardon him. But that was when the 81 year old was still running for reelection. He is now a lame duck president riding out his final months in office.
When asked about the potential at the White House on Thursday, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president has not changed his mind. “It’s no, it’s still no,” she told reporters when asked about the possibility. “I’m not able to comment on it, but I can say that it is still very much a ‘no’ to the questions I have gotten about if the president is going to pardon [Hunter].”
Megyn isn’t buying it. “I am sure he will be getting a pardon from daddy,” she concluded. “I realize Joe Biden says he won’t, but we’ll see. We’ll see.”
You can check out Megyn’s full analysis by tuning in to episode 880 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.