Hunter Biden trial: President changes his schedule to be with his son after guilty verdict

Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts called out his Republican colleagues for accepting the verdict in Hunter Biden’s federal gun charges trial but denouncing the verdict in Donald Trump’s New York criminal trial.

“Apparently, when a Republican is convicted it’s weaponization. But when a Democrat is convicted, the president’s son no less, that’s justice. I mean, give me a break,” McGovern said during a hearing on Tuesday.

He added: “Hunter Biden was found guilty by a jury of his peers just like Donald Trump.”

McGovern accused Republicans of abandoning the rule of law to suit their political needs.

President Joe Biden made no mention of his son, Hunter Biden’s, gun charges conviction while delivering a speech at the Everytown for Gun Safety event in Washington, DC.

The president’s remarks included acknowledging his administration’s steps in strengthing gun laws in the country and holding those accountable who break the laws.

His son was found guilty of lying on a federal gun form, lying to a firearm salesman and unlawfully possessing a gun on Tuesday.

Hunter Biden’s ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle, outlined his drug use in detailed testimony at his federal gun trial last week.

A hesitant-seeming Buhle, in a tan suit, white shirt, and black glasses, testified that she found a broken pipe, pipe-cleaning materials, a white powder, and remnants of crystals in Biden’s car. She said she looked for drugs in his vehicle more than once so that her daughters wouldn’t drive with drugs in the vehicle.

She added that he continued to work while using drugs and that she found that others didn’t notice his drug use. He tried to hide his drug use from family and friends, she said.

The ex-wife added that they talked about him going to rehab, noting that he initially didn’t want to but that he eventually did.

Biden, in a dark suit and slicked-back hair, looked intently at Buhle but didn’t give away much emotion during her testimony.

On cross-examination, she said alcohol had been an issue throughout their marriage, and that Biden initially went to rehab in 2003, ten years into their marriage.

President Joe Biden arrived in Delaware on Tuesday afternoon, meeting his son, Hunter Biden, on the tarmac where Marine One landed.

Hunter was joined by his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, and their son, Beau Biden.

Naomi Biden’s testimony during her father’s testimony weighed on the jury as they deliberated Hunter Biden’s conviction.

“No daughter should ever have to testify,” an anonymous juror told CNN an hour after the verdict.

Kelly Rissman reports:

Far-right commentators couldn’t help but whine on social media moments after Hunter Biden became a convicted felon - despite asking for years for his conviction.

Gustaf Kilander reports:

President Joe Biden ruled out pardoning his son, and the president has said he would respect the outcome of the jury trial, which marked the first-ever criminal proceedings of the son of a sitting US president.

But conservative commentators and social media critics have questioned whether the president will stand by his statements after his son’s conviction on three gun counts that could put him in prison for up to 25 years.

If Biden did pardon Hunter, he would be relying on longstanding executive authority that has been exercised dozens of times – but it would be an unprecedented and potentially politically devastating decision from a president who has repeatedly pledged that no one is above the law.

“I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal,” he said on Tuesday after the verdict was announced. “Jill and I will always be there for Hunter and the rest of our family with our love and support. Nothing will ever change that.”