ABC’s Good Morning America was up in arms Wednesday morning over Republicans calling out what they understand was a two-tier justice system, one where President Biden’s son continued to benefit from the family name by getting a cushy plea deal on tax crimes and a felony gun charge. Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce whined Republicans didn’t care how “painful” this was for President Biden and chief legal analyst Dan Abrams absurdly suggested the Biden name led to harsher treatment.
During their segment giving an overview of the plea deal story, chief Justice correspondent Pierre Thomas lamented: “Republicans have long sought to make Hunter Biden's troubles and financial dealings, including those in Ukraine and China, a political millstone for his father. Word of Hunter Biden’s deal set off a political firestorm, with Republicans claiming he got preferential treatment.”
As they switched over to live analysis, anchor and former Clinton lackey George Stephanopoulos leaned into their narrative of President Biden being a victim. “Boy, this case of Hunter Biden has been a source of political and personal heartache President Biden,” he teed up Bruce.
“And look, the White House now is eager to move past this,” she stated while proceeding to help them do exactly that. “They have really been trying to distance themselves from all of this, stressing that the President has never discussed this investigation with the Attorney General.”
Bruce built off of Stephanopoulos and tried to pluck on viewers’ heartstrings about how “painful” this was for Joe, who she called a “devoted father,” and decried Republicans for being to callus to care:
But you're absolutely right. There's no question that this is painful for the President, personally and politically. He is a devoted father who has stood by his son throughout his struggles with addiction, throughout this investigation, adamant that Hunter did absolutely nothing wrong. But it is clear, Republicans are not gonna drop this.
To follow up Bruce, Stephanopoulos looked to Abrams to shoot down Republican concerns of obvious preferential treatment. “I think it made an enormous difference here … if this wasn't Hunter Biden, it is likely he wouldn't have been prosecuted at all,” he absurdly proclaimed.
He wrote off the tax charges since Hunter did eventually pay them plus the fees and penalties associated with not paying taxes on time. It was the felony illegal gun possession charge in particular that Abrams felt Hunter was getting a raw deal:
ABRAMS: On the gun issue, typically that is not something that gets charged alone. Almost never does that particular charge about lying --
STEPHANOPOULOS: There are thousands of cases a year.
ABRAMS: Thousands would get prosecuted if that was the charge. But with that said, it does seem the facts support a guilty plea on these charges. But if he wasn't Hunter Biden, you have to believe there wouldn't have been a prosecution.
In reality, it’s a hard charge to prove in court. But Hunter had been very open about being using and being addicted to crack at the time he bought and owned his firearm, something rarely present in such cases.
And it’s a lie Hunter had to consciously make. The ATF’s Form 4473, which every gun buyer in America has to read and fill out before the background check and purchase can be completed, makes it known that lying on the form is a felony.
ABC’s ridiculous defense of the Biden clan was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Verizon and Chevy. Their contact information is linked.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s Good Morning America
June 21, 2023
7:09:51 a.m. Eastern(…)
PIERRE THOMAS: Republicans have long sought to make Hunter Biden's troubles and financial dealings, including those in Ukraine and China, a political millstone for his father. Word of Hunter Biden’s deal set off a political fire storm, with Republicans claiming he got preferential treatment.
SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): If you are the president’s son, you get a sweetheart deal.
THOMAS: And presidential candidate Ron DeSantis tweeting, “If Hunter was not connected to the elite DC class, he would have been put in jail a long time ago.
(…)
7:11:05 a.m. Eastern
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Mary, let me begin with you. Boy, this case of Hunter Biden has been a source of political and personal heartache President Biden.
MARY BRUCE: It really has, George. And look, the White House now is eager to move past this. They have really been trying to distance themselves from all of this, stressing that the President has never discussed this investigation with the Attorney General.
But you're absolutely right. There's no question that this is painful for the President, personally and politically. He is a devoted father who has stood by his son throughout his struggles with addiction, throughout this investigation, adamant that Hunter did absolutely nothing wrong.
But it is clear, Republicans are not gonna drop this. Despite the fact that there's nothing in this agreement to substantiate their concerns. After five years of investigating, they are not bringing any charges linked to Hunter Biden's overseas business dealings. But on the hill, Republicans say he got off easy and they are vowing to keep up their investigations. While, out on the campaign trail, Republicans clearly still see this as a political opportunity. George.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Okay, Mary. Let’s bring in Dan. Dan, not surprising this is a political football in the middle of an election year. Seems like every year is an election year. But given this set of facts what difference did it make that the subject was Hunter Biden?
DAN ABRAMS: I think it made an enormous difference here. Look, any time someone gets probation or a diversionary agreement, you could argue it's a sweetheart deal. It's true, they aren't getting any prison time. And yet, if this wasn't Hunter Biden, it is likely he wouldn't have been prosecuted at all.
Meaning, on the tax charges, typically to get prison time for a tax charge you need to have either have a criminal history or been making big efforts to hide the money. Here the IRS went to him and said, you owe this amount of money. People get notices from the IRS that they owe money. If they pay it back typically the person isn't charged. Here he was charged. Okay. There was wrongdoing.
On the gun issue, typically that is not something that gets charged alone. Almost never does that particular charge about lying --
STEPHANOPOULOS: There are thousands of cases a year.
ABRAMS: Thousands would get prosecuted if that was the charge. But with that said, it does seem the facts support a guilty plea on these charges. But if he wasn't Hunter Biden, you have to believe there wouldn't have been a prosecution.
(…)
