The real attack on Democracy.
- Thread starter hodad
- Start date
Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:
perhaps search "blue slips"
His lawyers couldn't shoot straight and the prosecutors weren't much better. At least after that he hired a real deal lawyer.
That is what’s now being referred to as Hunter’s immunity guarantee. It says that the government would not prosecute him for any federal crimes encompassed by “Exhibit 1” — a detailed recounting of his business affairs, drug use, and tax nonpayment from 2016 to 2019.
Yet (Judge) Noreika pressed the government on exactly what that meant. For instance, it had been reported that Hunter had been investigated for potentially violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Under this deal, she asked, could Hunter still be charged under FARA?
Prosecutor Leo Wise said yes. Hunter’s lawyer at the time, Chris Clark, then said he did not agree, and that the deal was off.
The deal had an unusual structure, involving both a typical plea agreement (which gets approved by a judge) and a “diversion agreement” (which doesn’t). The government’s promise of immunity for Hunter, which would usually be in the plea agreement, was for unexplained reasons in the diversion agreement instead — seemingly meaning Noreika would have no authority over it.
Lowell said on Face the Nation that there were only three explanations for the purported turnabout. Number one is essentially incompetence: Prosecutors didn’t understand the implications of what they were promising. Number two is malfeasance: Prosecutors knew all along they were offering something more limited, but misled Hunter’s attorneys about what they meant. Number three is flip-flopping: Prosecutors initially made the broad promise, but reneged after political backlash from Republicans.
There's a fourth reason the plea deal was structured in a very odd way and did not stand up to inspection.
It’s unclear exactly what the DOJ meant to promise Hunter. The language in the deal can be read both ways. Under one interpretation, Hunter was off the hook for “any federal crimes” related to his business activities in those years. Under another, he was only protected for the federal crimes explicitly mentioned (tax, drug, and gun crimes).
https://www.vox.com/2023/8/17/23828938/hunter-biden-plea-deal-special-counsel-weiss
it sounds pretty damn lenient to me... don't forget that the prosecutors already let his worst tax evasion crimes occurring in earlier years to run out their statute of limitations. The only reason they got him on these latter year tax crimes is because of the embarrassing plea deal meltdown in court under bright lights questioning.
hmmmm
JR
Last edited:
On the gun charge, as noted before, it's almost never prosecuted unless in connection with another crime. As to the tax thing: Blame HB for not fighting the IRS quite as craftily as a certain ex-president, who seems to keep these cases rolling for decades, and for many more millions than HB ever made, much less owed. The Chicago deal with Trump alone was north of $100 million. LOCK! HIM! UP!!!
(Oh, and sorry for the whataboutism)
(Oh, and sorry for the whataboutism)
like smoking crack?
President Biden says that Hunter is the smartest man he knows. It will be interesting to hear how he earned all that money.
I am opposed to weaponizing the DOJ and using lawfare against political opponents. This is one "actual" attack on democracy. I truly hope this can be stopped.
That said Hunter appears to have openly flaunted numerous laws. The house committee on oversight and accountability issued criminal referrals for Hunter and James Biden lying to congress.
===
AG Garland has been held in contempt for not releasing the recordings of the Robert Hur investigation. The WH has been seen routinely editing written transcripts of POTUS' statements. In early February, Hur declined to bring criminal charges against (Presdient) Biden for his handling of the classified information. Hur described (President) Biden in his report as a “sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory,” a comment (President) Biden vehemently rebuked.
It would be embarrassing for more such audio to get out into the media. Several media outlets (including CNN, and NBC) have already sued using FOIA to get those recordings.
JR
Trump on trial: "Sham! Lawfare! No look at the evidence needed!"
Hunter Biden on trial: "Here's my 8 point essay on every detail of the charges and proceedings."
Meanwhile, it turns out it's possible to serve a president, get convicted of felonies, and still not have the slightest clue how the government justice system works. Trump’s private demand to Johnson: Help overturn my conviction
Weaponization indeed.
Hunter Biden on trial: "Here's my 8 point essay on every detail of the charges and proceedings."
Meanwhile, it turns out it's possible to serve a president, get convicted of felonies, and still not have the slightest clue how the government justice system works. Trump’s private demand to Johnson: Help overturn my conviction
Weaponization indeed.
Matador
Well-known member
This sounds like another "obscure legal theory". Typically the "connection to another crime" involves the use of the gun in committing the crime.
I still think you have the best analysis on this plea deal was handled, so I'll just repeat it verbatim:
JohnRoberts said:
That sounds logical while the laptop (from hell) seems full of other criminal behavior.
I sure don't recall saying that about (Judge) Noreika, while Judge Merchan in NYC appears less than fair and balanced. But you quoted me so it must be true.
JR
Every account I've read from reporters who were actually in the courtroom (or the press overflow room) said that Merchan, if anything, showed extra deference to Trump. But you might know this if you weren't getting all your news from Rupert Murdoch.
Not releasing the recordings is standard procedure. Conservatives simply want to find something in the recordings that they can weaponize; failing that, they hold Republican Merrick Garland in contempt and make a stink about that. It's election year politics & nothing else.
Last edited:
Oh, Clarence. You finally come clean (5 years late) when you're called out on some extremely generous bribes gifts, but you obviously haven't turned over a new leaf. 3 more unreported trips surface right after you correct your "oversight." It's nice, I guess, to see that we haven't fully plumbed the depths of your corruption.
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/im... REDACTED Crow Materials for distribution.pdf
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/im... REDACTED Crow Materials for distribution.pdf
Matador
Well-known member
It's far worse: the transcripts of the testimony have been available for some time: but they want the audio because transcripts don't work for out-of-context quoting in a 15 second attack ad.
I believe that you believe that.
We clearly get our news from different echo chambers. Fox news also had reporters inside that trial courtroom. Judge Janine Pirro attended multiple days of that Trump trial and had first hand observations about Judge Merchan's demeanor and objectivity. She was formerly a judge herself and prosecutor (DA) in Westchester County NY, so knows quite a bit about the subject of jurisprudence, and the local NY state courts.
She may now be a conservative talking head (regular on the Five) but she can speak about the judicial system with authority.
No doubt, these recordings would make great fodder for campaign ads but the WH has exhibited the bad behavior of cleaning up after POTUS misspeaks or whatever, by editing the transcripts of his public statements after the fact. Examples of this are too many to list (and i'm lazy). This all too common practice makes it hard to trust the written transcripts as being authentic.
I'm shocked. Are you saying political ads take brief statements out of context?
JR
PS: My snail mail delivery of my daily WSJ is so bad that only this morning did I get to read the article critical of POTUS in behind the scenes meetings. It wasn't as bad as the talking heads made it out to be, but bad enough that the WH called up politicians asking them to soften their statements to reporters.=== Today while walking into Walmart to do my weekly grocery shopping (only $75 for one person), I looked at my reflection in the windows. IMO I did not look as bad as Juneteenth Biden. But my local clinic doctor has been giving me cognition tests my last two annual physicals. I guess she is more rigorous than the WH physician.
Last edited:
Matador
Well-known member
The (your) quote was about Judge Sullivan, not Merchan. However I was mainly interested in your idea that judges shouldn't be part of the prosecution team, and under what circumstances this should hold.
Just to be clear: torpedoing the plea deal in the Flynn case was not ok (aka "activist judges"), but it was ok in the Hunter Biden case (aka. the judge was just asking "pointed questions")?
No wonder I am confused... your quote looks like I said that "recently" about this/these cases.
Can you provide the link to my post ?
JR
AnalogPackrat
Well-known member
Possessing a gun while doing things that make you a "prohibited person" (prohibited from possessing firearms) often brings charges whether the gun was "used" in the other crime or not. He not only lied on the 4473, he later possessed the gun while doing drugs as proven by the timestamped videos he took of himself that were found on his laptop which was entered into evidence.
Spin harder. You likely support more "gun control" legislation, but want your guy's son to get off for a felony gun charge. Own it.
AnalogPackrat
Well-known member
The "transcripts" aren't accurate and don't convey the true mental state of POTUS in an uncontrolled setting (no teleprompters, earpieces, and hand-holding family/staff). The fact that so many continue to cling to the fantasy/lie that Biden just stutters or is a gaffer is unbelievable.
Or the fantasy/lie that Trump is "just a blowhard." Or the fantasy/lie that Trump doesn't regularly spout utter nonsense.
A post from 2020... Sorry that is not front of mind for me.
That reveals how long this circus has been going on.
JR
That reveals how long this circus has been going on.
JR
