In recent events, President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, is facing federal investigation for tax-related charges and gun charges in Delaware. U.S. Attorney David Weiss, a Trump-era appointee who has since been elevated to special counsel, has indicted the younger Biden on felony gun charges as well as tax-related charges after a plea deal fell apart in a Delaware courtroom in July. Meanwhile, Republicans on Capitol Hill are investigating the Biden family as part of their impeachment inquiry into the president. These events have sparked concerns and scrutiny surrounding Hunter Biden's personal and professional life, which has been under investigation for six years.
In one instance, Jim Biden testified that he hired the former head of his brother's Secret Service detail, Dale Pupillo, to investigate a Chinese executive that Hunter Biden was doing business with in 2017. Jim Biden said during his February impeachment inquiry interview that he commissioned Pupillo in advance of accompanying Hunter Biden to Hong Kong so that his nephew could meet with the executive, Patrick Ho. Despite hiring a private investigator and traveling halfway around the world for the meeting, Jim Biden said he never asked Hunter Biden what Ho – then on the cusp of being arrested, and later convicted, on federal corruption charges – and his nephew were meeting about. He said the decision not to inquire about the meeting came down to trusting his nephew.
Hunter Biden faces three criminal counts for allegedly buying a gun while in the throes of addiction and lying on an official form about it. Joe Biden checks on Hunter every day during the trial and has spent substantial time with his family in Delaware prior to leaving for Europe. The topic of the criminal case dominated the family gatherings in Delaware over the weekend, and President Joe Biden issued a personal statement offering his support for his son, noting that he was a father in addition to being the president.
These events have become fodder for President Trump's critics and a source of political uncertainty for Joe Biden. The outcome of Hunter Biden's trial remains to be seen, but it is clear that the scrutiny surrounding his personal and professional life will continue to impact the Biden administration.