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Bidin' Time
Author: BobR    Date: 07/26/2023 12:40:47

Unless you've been living under a rock, the phrase "Hunter Biden's laptop" is practically all you ever hear coming from any Republican's lips (as well as the Republican Propaganda Channel, aka FOX "News"). What does it mean? It doesn't matter. It's right-wing shorthand for "we know President Biden is guilty of something by association". It's the McGuffin of RW politics - it drives their narrative, without actually being anything of actual importance.

The window of opportunity for the Repumplestiltskins to spin gold from this pile of straw is quickly closing, however, so they are grasping at whatever they can. Over the last few days, it's the plea deal Hunter Biden's lawyers negotiated over his tax case. Naturally, the Republicans are furious, because A ), they need video of Hunter Biden going to jail, and B ), it removes the story from the public eye far enough ahead of campaign season that they know voters won't care anymore (news flash: only hard-core TFG supporters care, and they're already in the tank for the Republican nominee for president in 2024).

So what are they doing? They're trying to interfere with the court proceedings:
On the eve of Hunter Biden’s court appearance to enter into a plea deal for misdemeanor tax crimes that would allow him to avoid prison time, House Republicans and conservative groups sought to intervene in the case, urging a judge to throw out the agreement he reached with prosecutors.

The highly unusual legal maneuvering — which experts said was unlikely to succeed — illustrated the lengths that House Republicans and their allied groups have been willing to go to as they have tried to use Mr. Biden’s legal and personal troubles to inflict political damage on his father, President Biden.

Representative Jason Smith of Missouri, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, filed a brief in Federal District Court in Wilmington, Del., where Hunter Biden’s plea deal is to be considered by a judge on Wednesday.

The committee has heard testimony from two Internal Revenue Service investigators who claim to be whistle-blowers and have told the panel that the younger Mr. Biden received preferential treatment from the Justice Department. Mr. Smith’s brief asked the judge to consider the testimony in deciding whether to approve the agreement.

Another brief was filed by the Heritage Foundation, the conservative research group, which has started an operation dedicated to aiding the Republican investigations into President Biden.
(bold-face mine)

The brief filed by Rep Smith contained personal tax information for Hunter Biden, who is NOT a politician running for office. The Biden team successfully got that sealed. The bigger issue is the legal concept of "standing", in that neither Congress nor the Heritage Foundation have any standing in the case, so their briefs are moot. It will be up to the judge to determine that.

There was some confusion on how the sealing of Smith's brief was requested, but that's a case of she-said/she-said. It shouldn't cause any problems with the finalization of Hunter Biden's plea deal today.

Keep an eye on the news today - it could get interesting.
 

5 comments (Latest Comment: 07/26/2023 17:45:03 by Raine)
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