Brett Tolman, a former U.S. attorney for the District of Utah, slammed the generous Hunter Biden plea deal as a “laughable joke” and said anyone else would be facing multiple years in federal prison in a series of tweets Tuesday.
On Tuesday, U.S. Attorney David Weiss submitted a letter to the district clerk’s office in Delaware announcing that his team had reached an agreement with Hunter Biden and his attorneys that will allow him to avoid jail time. Under the terms of the agreement, Hunter Biden will plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of failing to pay federal income taxes. He will also accept a pretrial diversion program for his firearms violation.
Tolman did not mince words when deconstructing the “absolute laughable joke” of a plea agreement, stating that the DOJ violated its own policies in offering the deal.
“DOJ is violating its own internal policies on this case. The Ashcroft Memo requires they charge the “highest provable offense” and seek consistent sentences with other cases brought by DOJ. This prosecution is an absolute laughable joke,” Tolman wrote in a tweet Tuesday. “Thousands have been sent to prison for long terms for the same charges.”
“They are ignoring decades of policy and precedent to seek felonies not misdemeanors and seek sentences within the guideline range. The diversion agreement on the felony is offensive to everyone not politically connected who sought diversions and were literally laughed at by DOJ,” the former U.S. attorney added in a follow-up tweet.
They are ignoring decades of policy and precedent to seek felonies not misdemeanors and seek sentences within the guideline range. The diversion agreement on the felony is offensive to everyone not politically connected who sought diversions and were literally laughed at by DOJ.
— Brett L. Tolman (@tolmanbrett) June 20, 2023
Tolman went on to point out that thousands of people have spent multiple years in federal prison for the same crimes Hunter Biden is admitting to.
“Thousands of people have been prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods by DOJ. They brag about getting nearly 5 years of prison time on average for their gun cases. If they followed policy, Hunter would be looking at a minimum of 5 years in federal prison,” he said. “But he’s a Biden.”
The former U.S. attorney pointed out that it was easy for DOJ to prove that Hunter Biden was distributing or dealing drugs while in possession of a firearm. “Such charges were brought against thousands in inner cities across the country for last 20 years. Mandatory minimum sentences for all,” he continued. “Except Hunter.”
“Since Hunter “brandished” his firearm during the commission of a drug crime, he would be looking at a mand min of 7 years in fed prison. DOJ could also add on top mandatory minimum possession of child pornography if any of the girls were underage, plus on top of that years for tax evasion,” Tolman went on to say.
Since Hunter “brandished” his firearm during the commission of a drug crime, he would be looking at a mand min of 7 years in fed prison. DOJ could also add on top mand min possession of child pornography if any of the girls were underage, plus on top of that years for tax evasion
— Brett L. Tolman (@tolmanbrett) June 20, 2023
Tolman is one of several legal experts who have objected to Hunter Biden’s plea deal and highlighted its double standards. Catherine Herridge of CBS News agreed with Tolman’s assessment that the deal is very “controversial,” as did legal analyst Jonathan Turley.
“Many people view the influence-peddling allegations as being a very serious form of corruption with potential crime, and he’s gonna plead guilty to relatively minor tax and gun charges,” Turley said.