Plea deal between Hunter Biden and Justice Department on hold

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges he failed to pay more than $100,000 in back taxes by a legal deadline, Reuters and the Associated Press reported. The president’s son had been poised to plead guilty with prosecutors agreeing to recommend probation. However, the deal unraveled after U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika in Delaware raised questions about the agreement.

Why wasn’t the plea accepted? Biden is currently facing a separate charge: Owning a Colt Cobra .38 handgun while using drugs. The original plea deal included prosecutors recommending two years’ probation for the tax charges, while the gun charge would be erased if Biden pleaded guilty and adhered to the terms of the agreement. Judge Noreika expressed concern about some details of the deal. She asked Hunter Biden to name the Ukrainian and Chinese entities referred to without name in the agreement and to discuss his substance abuse issues.

Dig deeper: Listen to Clara York’s report on two IRS whistleblowers’ testimony about Biden’s tax investigation.