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FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Demand Attorney General Merrick Garland fully explain to the American people why a plea deal has been reached between Hunter Biden and the U.S. attorney in Delaware that will save him from some time in prison .
“The reported plea deal granted to President Biden’s son is a farcical example of precisely that two-pronged approach to criminal justice by the DOJ under your leadership,” he wrote to Garland. “What can the American public take away from the outcome of this five-year investigation and the leniency shown to Hunter Biden over both the federal tax violations and the gun violations he has committed?”
Scott noted that in a recent case in Virginia, a mother faces up to 24 months in prison for using controlled substances while possessing a firearm, and in another case, actor Wesley Snipes received three one-year sentences for tax evasion. cost. But he said Hunter Biden will avoid jail time for the tax and gun charges he faced thanks to a plea deal that the Justice Department has agreed to.
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Senator Rick Scott demands Attorney General Merrick Garland explain Hunter Biden’s plea deal to the Americans. (Getty/Backgrid US/AP)
“It is time you explained these decisions clearly to the American people. Under your leadership, the Justice Department faces a crisis of confidence in the eyes of the American people,” he wrote. “Only you can do the hard but necessary work to solve that problem and restore the integrity of this department and the American justice system.”
“I expect a prompt response to the concerns I’ve outlined here, and I look forward to seeing you clearly communicate your actions to the American people,” he added.
The plea deal agreed upon by Hunter Biden has yet to be approved by a judge. But Scott said it already shows that Democrats get preferential treatment compared to Republicans.
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“Under your leadership, the DOJ appears to be guilty of unequal treatment of political and personal allies of President Biden accused of criminal misconduct, compared to those considered his opponents,” he wrote. “The reported plea deal granted to President Biden’s son is a farcical example of precisely that two-pronged approach to criminal justice by the DOJ under your leadership.”
President Biden has told reporters he is proud of his son in response to questions about Hunter’s plea deal. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
It was announced on Tuesday that Hunter would plead guilty to two federal misdemeanor counts and one felony firearms count. When asked about the plea deal during a speech in San Francisco, Biden responded that he was “proud” of his son.
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Senator Rick Scott speaks at a news conference on December 14, 2022 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File)
Garland delayed giving a statement on the plea deal when asked about it at a press conference in Sweden on Wednesday. He recommended that those questions should be directed to the U.S. Attorney in Delaware, a Trump appointee.
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“As I said from the time of my appointment as Attorney General, I would leave this case to the U.S. attorney appointed by the previous president and assigned to this case by the previous administration. I would have full authority to decide the case as he decided that was appropriate,” Garland said. “That’s what he did.”
Elizabeth Elkind is a political reporter for Fox News Digital.
