Tuesday saw President Biden’s delinquent son Hunter arraigned once again on federal felony gun charges, a redo after a shady sweetheart plea deal with the Biden Justice Department fell through over the summer after the judge scrutinized it. Following the proceedings, ABC chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce appeared on their streaming news service to paint the Biden White House weathering the storm. Meanwhile, CBS News broke in to note that there was “nervous energy” from Hunter.
“Mary, the President hasn't said much about this case. How much of a political hurdle is this for the White House right now and for the President as he runs for reelection?” ABC News Live host Diane Macedo lamented.
As Biden’s chief apple polisher, Bruce opined that “they certainly are hoping that they can minimize how much of a political distraction this will be” and that the White House was not speaking publically about it. “Though we should say, the President doesn't have anything on his schedule. So, it is possible he is keeping an eye on what's happening there with his son,” she noted.
Bruce went on to boast that Biden was supposedly not trying to influence the Justice Department’s actions against his son:
But the President has long stressed the importance of the independence of the Justice Department, he doesn't want to do or say anything that would add fuel to the Republican claims that the President is somehow been manipulating this entire process. And we have heard them stress that he hasn't been in any kind of contact with the Attorney General over any of this. And the Attorney General backs that up.
“Republicans are clearly not going to let this issue go. And they are trying to keep this very much in the conversation,” she openly whined. “[D]espite the White House's best efforts, this is to continue to be a political headache for this administration heading into reelection.”
CBS News was the only broadcast network to break into their regular daytime programming to deliver a special report on the conclusion of Hunter’s arraignment.
Senior investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge reported on the “extraordinary scene that unfolded in the courthouse.” She recounted that as she was sitting in the courtroom, Hunter passed within five feet of her and she could tell “there was a sense of nervous energy, a nervous smile. A sense of real apprehension as we head into the proceeding.”
“What’s striking to me is that just two months ago, Hunter Biden entered this courthouse with a degree of optimism and a lot of confidence,” she recalled. “But as we saw the plea deal collapse – and I was inside that courtroom – what we see now is that the chapter is not closing for Hunter Biden or for his family or for his father, the President.”
Herridge also noted that Special Counsel Davis Weiss had an ongoing investigation into tax violations by Hunter. “But the Special Councils has made clear that that’s a real possibility. And during the last hearing in July, when the plea deal fell apart, they also indicated that they were exploring potential violations of foreign lobbying laws,” she added.
The transcripts are below. Click "expand" to read:
ABC News Live
October 3, 2023
10:33:57 a.m. Eastern(…)
DIANE MACEDO: Mary, the President hasn't said much about this case. How much of a political hurdle is this for the White House right now and for the President as he runs for reelection?
MARY BRUCE: Yeah, they certainly are hoping that they can minimize how much of a political distraction this will be. I mean, the President is not weighing in on this. He's not going to, I suspect, asked yesterday if the President would be monitoring this at all, the White House said only that it was a personal matter. Though we should say, the President doesn't have anything on his schedule. So, it is possible he is keeping an eye on what's happening there with his son.
But the President has long stressed the importance of the independence of the Justice Department, he doesn't want to do or say anything that would add fuel to the Republican claims that the President is somehow been manipulating this entire process. And we have heard them stress that he hasn't been in any kind of contact with the Attorney General over any of this. And the Attorney General backs that up.
But there is no question. You know, Republicans are clearly not going to let this issue go. And they are trying to keep this very much in the conversation. And while the White House had hoped all of this was behind them a couple of weeks ago when that plea deal fell apart, there's no question that, you know, despite the White House's best efforts, this is to continue to be a political headache for this administration heading into reelection.
(…)
CBS News Streaming Network: Special Report
October 3, 2023
10:31:45 a.m. EasternGAYLE KING: This is a CBS News special report. I am Gayle King here in New York. Now, we're coming on the air right now because Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son, has just pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he lied about being a drug user on an application to buy a gun. He arrived at a federal courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware, earlier today.
Now, Biden and had a tentative plea agreement with the Justice Department on those gun-related charges, misdemeanor tax evasion charges. But as you recall, that deal fell apart at the very last minute.
Senior investigative correspondent, that’s Catherine Herridge is outside of the courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware, where Hunter Biden was just arraigned. Catherine, can you tell us what exactly happened today?
CATHERINE HERRIDGE: Well Gayle, good to be with you. This was an extraordinary scene that unfolded in the courthouse behind me. The son of a sitting president facing felony gun charges as Hunter Biden entered the courtroom on the second floor. He passed by me. I was not more than about five feet away. And there was a sense of nervous energy, a nervous smile. A sense of real apprehension as we head into the proceeding.
It lasted about 20 minutes. The federal judge asked the President's son if he understood the charges, the potential serious penalties and that he had a right to remain silent and to each he responded with a strong and soft voice, “yes, your honor.” And when it came time to enter the plea that was done by his attorney, Abby Lowell who said, “Mr. Biden pleads not guilty to the three charges.”
Gayle, the next day on the calendar is early November and we’re ready getting a sense of the defense team's strategy. They indicated to the court they will file a motion to dismiss. And they aren’t going to question whether one of the charges is constitutional, a charge that would ban a drug user from owning and obtaining a weapon in the United States.
What’s striking to me is that just two months ago, Hunter Biden entered this courthouse with a degree of optimism and a lot of confidence. But as we saw the plea deal collapse – and I was inside that courtroom – what we see now is that the chapter is not closing for Hunter Biden or for his family or for his father, the President. Gayle.
KING: Yeah, it’s clear he did not expect to be here today but here we are. We know that today's arraignment focused on those gun-related charges. Catherine, do you think it is possible he could still face the tax charges too?
HERRIDGE: Well, based on the court filings from Special Counsel David Weiss, there is an ongoing investigation and he’s indicated that he could bring tax charges in one of two venues. California, where Hunter Biden is living or in Washington, D.C. That would require the presentation of evidence to grand juries in one or both of those districts. So, we’re not clear on the timeline. But the Special Councils has made clear that that’s a real possibility.
And during the last hearing in July, when the plea deal fell apart, they also indicated that they were exploring potential violations of foreign lobbying laws. Gayle.
KING: All right Catherine, thank you very much.
