A legal back-and-forth over the derailed Hunter Biden plea deal continued Tuesday with prosecutors denying claims that a deal could still be in effect.
In a Washington D.C. courtroom, special counsel David Weiss fired back at Biden's legal team, saying the original plea deal that the president's son agreed to last month was never signed by a probation officer, therefor making it invalid. Biden's attorneys had argued the day prior that part of the agreement sparing him prosecution was still in place.
Under terms announced last month, Biden was expected to plead guilty to failing to pay taxes on more than $1.5 million in income over two years. Biden would have avoided punishment for a felony gun possession charge as long as he complied with a two year probationary period.
Instead, Judge Maryellen Noreika said she was concerned about the language of the agreements and refused to sign off on the deal. That decision prompted Biden to reverse course and enter a not guilty plea.
Judge Noreika then gave both sides 30 days to further explain why she should accept the plea agreement, but as of now, it appears the deal is no longer on the table and the case appears likely to go to trial.
The investigation into President Joe Biden's son took a sharp turn last week when U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that David Weiss would be elevated to special counsel. It gives him broad authority to investigate the case.
