Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Mark Geragos, has accused federal prosecutors of trying to “slime” Hunter by introducing evidence about his spending on strippers and pornography in his upcoming tax trial. Geragos says this evidence is meant to damage Hunter’s reputation rather than focus on the legal issues at hand.
The trial, set to start with jury selection on September 5 in Los Angeles, will address accusations that Hunter failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes. Prosecutors, led by special counsel David Weiss, want to show that Hunter used his tax money to pay for extravagant personal expenses, including payments to porn sites and parties with strippers.
Geragos argues that these details are just an attempt to make Hunter look bad and shouldn’t be allowed in court. He called this approach a “salacious prosecution” and “character assassination.”
Prosecutor Leo Wise said the spending details are important because Hunter allegedly claimed these expenses as business deductions. Wise explained that while spending on such things isn’t illegal, claiming them as business expenses is.
Judge Mark Scarsi, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, has not yet decided whether this evidence will be permitted in the trial. He did, however, reject the defense’s request to include expert testimony on Hunter’s addiction issues and the impact of past family tragedies on his behavior.
The trial will not include evidence about Hunter’s foreign business dealings or claims that he violated foreign lobbying laws. The judge ruled that the focus should remain on the tax charges.
Geragos also criticized Weiss for releasing details about Hunter’s business with a Romanian businessman, suggesting it was meant to attract media attention and influence the jury.
Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to all nine charges, which include three felonies. He was previously convicted in June for lying about his drug use while buying a gun. He faces up to 25 years in prison but is expected to receive a lighter sentence due to his lack of a criminal record.
