Lawyers for Hunter Biden said in a court filing that prosecutors reneged on a plea deal that would have resolved tax and firearms charges against the US president’s son as his father seeks re-election.
Delaware federal prosecutors said on Friday that Hunter Biden may be headed for a criminal trial after plea negotiations broke down.
US District Judge Maryellen Noreika rejected a proposed plea deal in July, raising concerns over its legality and the scope of immunity it offered Hunter Biden.
Under that proposed arrangement, Hunter Biden would have pleaded guilty to not paying taxes on $1.5 million in income between 2017 and 2018 and entered into a separate deferred prosecution agreement for illegally owning a firearm while using drugs, which is a felony.
The case has become a political lightning rod as Republicans in Congress raise the possibility of impeaching Mr Biden over his son's business dealings and accuse the US Department of Justice of giving him a "sweetheart deal".
US Attorney General Merrick Garland has denied Republican accusations of favouritism. On Friday, he elevated Delaware US Attorney David Weiss, an appointee of former US president Donald Trump who has been investigating the case since 2019, to special counsel status, which gives him additional authority.
If the case goes to trial, the president would be campaigning for re-election in November 2024, likely against Mr Trump, as his son faces criminal prosecution.
Mr Trump, a Republican, faces three criminal trials of his own next year. -Reuters
