On Tuesday, Hunter Biden struck a “sweetheart“ deal with the Department of Justice, pleading guilty to two misdemeanors related to his tax filings while avoiding charges related to a gun charge that, if found guilty, could have landed him in prison for years.
The deal has been widely criticized as too lenient, with Jonathan Turley calling it “like ticketing a getaway driver after a bank robbery“ and raising major questions about the Department of Justice‘s protocols in handing out such a light punishment.
The mainstream press, however, is busy trying to spin the deal as a just outcome. CNN, MSNBC, and other networks have been quick to label the deal as “fair“ and declare Hunter Biden as having been exonerated of all the allegations of influence–peddling and corruption involving his overseas dealings.
CNN defends the DoJ for letting Hunter Biden off the hook for facilitating corruption & other major felonies: "This is not a sweetheart deal." pic.twitter.com/wKwX24B8Nh
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) June 20, 2023
Fact–check: While it‘s true that the deal he reached with the DOJ is a huge break for Hunter Biden, this is exactly the opposite of what would happen to an ordinary American in the same situation. Had the laptop containing the incriminating videos and documents belonged to an ordinary person, that person would already be facing serious jail time.
At the very least, suggesting that he‘s been exonerated of all the corruption–related charges is an absurd leap in logic. As the investigation continues, he remains subject to the possibility of dramatic consequences down the line.
It‘s even more ridiculous when you consider what brought Hunter Biden in to such a situation in the first place. Such leniency is rarely seen when the person in question was filmed distributing illegal drugs, lying on federal forms in order to illegally obtain firearms, and provably taking prostitutes across state lines.
MSNBC's @FrankFigliuzzi1 on Hunter getting charged for lying on a gun application: "It’s a rare charge and it indicates the prosecutor has gone out of his way to charge everything that could have been charged." pic.twitter.com/z40Scq46eM
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) June 20, 2023
The mainstream press is so desperate to clear Hunter Biden‘s name that they‘re willing to completely ignore the facts and jump to much more beneficial conclusions without any evidence to back it up. MSNBC goes even further, with pundits suggesting that the charges are rare because most people are not dumb enough to film themselves breaking the law.
Of course, most people are not dumb enough to do the things Hunter Biden did, either. But the reality is that politicians like him receive far better treatment than the everyday American. The Department of Justice‘s decision to give him a break is just further proof of that. The hypocrisy is astounding.