The Bidens' pet dog, Commander, is a bit of a threat in the White House compound and has bitten or attacked Secret Service agents at least 10 times in four months. Photo: Saul Loeb/Getty.
After four years of silence on the subject, Joe Biden has finally publicly acknowledged the seventh grandson he has never seen.
The existence of a four-year-old Navy flotilla, Joan Roberts, born to his son Hunter while fighting the drug addiction was a sensitive topic for the president.
He built the Biden brand on family values and honesty, but even the Democrats accused the president of hypocrisy after he declared his admiration for his «six grandchildren», except Navy.
The president may have taken action after Maureen Dowd, a New York Times columnist he is known to read, accused Biden of «heartlessly ruining Navy life as soon as it begins.»
«Jill and I only want the best for all of our grandchildren, including the Navy,» he said in a statement to People magazine.
It was Hunter, his past drug use and issues surrounding his questionable overseas business dealings, that gave the elder Mr. Biden the biggest headache. Credit: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
A source close to the Bidens suggested the president's actions were driven by a legal dispute that was recently resolved between Hunter and Navy's mother, Lunden Roberts.
Hunter never met his daughter Navy, born from a meeting with Lunden, a former exotic dancer that he says he doesn't remember.
A 2019 paternity test confirmed he was the girl's father, and last month a longstanding child support case was finally settled.
The president has reportedly made it clear he'd like to meet his seventh grandson now that the case is settled.
But the timing of his announcement—late Friday night—may have been timed to avoid a new wave of press scrutiny of his son's obscene private life after a difficult week for the Bidens.
The threat in White House
It all started with the revelation that Joe and Jill's favorite dog, Commander, is some sort of threat in the White House compound and has bitten or attacked Secret Service agents at least 10 times in four months.
Announced as the youngest and a better-mannered replacement for the Bidens' beloved dog Major, who was barred from the White House after incidents like this, called into question the president's ability to discipline even his own dog.
But it was Hunter, his past drug use and questions about his questionable foreign business dealings that gave Mr. Biden Sr. the biggest headache.
The 53-year-old has long been a political liability to his father, oh as the White House recalled when he appeared in court on Wednesday, becoming the first child of an incumbent president to be charged with federal crimes.
Hoped to be out of trouble
The president's son hoped to get out of trouble with the law by negotiating a plea deal that would allow him to avoid trial and possible jail time on tax and gun charges.
But the deal was quickly torn up by a district judge in the state Delaware Maryellen Noreika, who expressed serious «concerns» about the «atypical» agreement.
This would mean that Hunter would plead guilty to two minor tax offenses and avoid prosecution for buying guns while using drugs.
In exchange, he will avoid both a trial and a possible prison sentence.
Instead, he agreed to take part in a «sabotage» where he agreed not to use drugs for two years and never again own a weapon.
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Hunter and the DOJ have been given 30 days to reach a revised plea agreement. But if Judge Noreika refuses to sign, the president's son could stand trial.
If found guilty in court, he could face up to 12 months in prison for each tax charge and up to 10 years for a firearms charge.
The investigation is pending
To add to the Bidens' problems, Presidential Attorneys for the Justice Department also confirmed that they have by no means completed their investigation into his son.
David Weiss, Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney for Delaware, told the court that his office is still looking into other possible crimes Hunter Biden.
The investigation, which began as a tax investigation under the Obama administration, is believed to have expanded in 2018 to include possible violations of foreign lobbying and money laundering regulations.
Possible allegations may relate to Hunter's lucrative work on behalf of foreign governments, for example, with the potential inability to properly register as a foreign agent.
His various business dealings have spanned China, Ukraine, and other countries and date back to the early 2010s when his father was U.S. Vice President.
Republicans enjoy drama
Republicans enjoy courtroom drama, pointing out a judge's rejection plea agreements as evidence of their claim that Hunter had a «love deal.»
The Republican-led House of Representatives has already launched an extensive investigation into the Biden family and vowed to step up its efforts in the light of events.< /p>
A former Hunter associate was forced to testify about the Biden business dealings in Congress on Monday.
Biden allies argue that if prosecutors were hoping for a conviction, a five-year investigation will show them more.
What's more, Republicans have yet to find physical evidence linking the president to his son's business affairs.
But as the White House is well aware, a president's political prominence can far outlive his son's legal troubles.< /p>
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