On Wednesday afternoon, special counsel David Weiss revealed in a new court filing that he planned to file felony charges against President Joe Biden’s crackhead son Hunter due to his illegal firearm purchase and intentional lying on a background check form. The news was so big that even the “big three” evening news networks were forced to cover the story.
In total, the three networks ABC’s World News Tonight, CBS Evening News & NBC Nightly News spent a combined 4 minutes and 50 seconds somberly reporting the indictments. ABC spent the most time on the news with a grand total of 2 minutes and 3 seconds. While CBS spent 1 minute 35 seconds, and NBC spent 1 minute and 12 seconds.
ABC’s World News Tonight anchor David Muir led the newscast with the story:
We do begin tonight with the breaking news. Federal prosecutors in a new court filing revealing they plan to indict the President's son, Hunter Biden. They plan to file felony charges involving the illegal purchase of a gun by the end of this month. The gun charge had been part of a plea deal that Hunter Biden thought he had secured, but that deal fell apart in July. The new filing brought by U.S. Attorney David Weiss, recently named special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland. Weiss, who was appointed by Donald Trump, has been investigating Hunter Biden for five years.
Muir then turned to Justice correspondent Pierre Thomas who subsequently acted as Hunter Biden’s PR agent.
“Hunter Biden's attorneys are preparing to fight. They believe the original plea deal on the gun charge should remain in place,” Thomas huffed. “They say the President's son should not be indicted on that charge, as long as he stays off drugs and out of serious legal trouble.”
CBS Evening News’s report, by contrast, was much fairer. This was in part because correspondent Catherine Herridge was the one who did much of the reporting during the segment. It’s clear Herridge still hasn’t been deprogrammed by CBS after learning real journalism at Fox News.
Finally, on NBC Nightly News, Lester Holt opened by reluctantly reporting on the Hunter Biden news: “Federal prosecutors say they will now seek an indictment of the President's son Hunter Biden just as Republicans ramp up their own investigations.”
Senior legal correspondent Laura Jarrett, who also was the daughter of left-wing Obama hatchet woman Valerie Jarrett, chimed in to cry about Republicans being mean to Joe and Hunter Biden.
“Republicans have blasted Weiss for what they call a sweetheart deal for the President’s son and are pressing Weiss for more information,” Jarrett said. “But the real question here is whether prosecutors only charge him for the gun and the tax issues that we already know about or whether he's in greater jeopardy on his foreign business dealings. Now, Biden's attorneys say they believe at least some part of this deal is still valid.”
This network coverage was made possible by Red Lobster on ABC, Angi on CBS, and Liberty Mutual on NBC. Their information is linked.
To read the transcript, click “expand”:
ABC’s World News Tonight
9/6/2023
6:33:12 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: We do begin tonight with the breaking news. Federal prosecutors in a new court filing revealing they plan to indict the President's son, Hunter Biden. They plan to file felony charges involving the illegal purchase of a gun by the end of this month. The gun charge had been part of a plea deal that Hunter Biden thought he had secured, but that deal fell apart in July. The new filing brought by U.S. Attorney David Weiss, recently named special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland. Weiss, who was appointed by Donald Trump, has been investigating Hunter Biden for five years. ABC's chief justice correspondent Pierre Thomas leading us off tonight.
PIERRE THOMAS: Tonight, special counsel David Weiss announcing in a court filing he intends to indict Hunter Biden by the end of the month on felony charges he illegally purchased a gun when he was addicted to drugs. The gun charge was supposed to go away as part of a plea deal the President's son struck with Weiss, the U.S. Attorney from Delaware, appointed by Donald Trump, who had been investigating Hunter Biden for five years. As part of the deal, the President's son would plead guilty to tax crimes. But that deal unraveled in late July, and weeks later, Weiss asked Attorney General Merrick Garland to appoint him as special counsel in the case.
ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND: Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint him as special counsel.
THOMAS: Weiss has made it clear that parties are no longer in plea negotiations, telling the court on August 11, "The parties are at an impasse, and the government believes this case will not resolve short of a trial." President Biden standing by his son, but pointedly refusing to comment on his case.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: I have no comment on any investigation that's going on. That's up to the Justice Department, and that's all I have to say.
THOMAS: Hunter Biden's attorneys are preparing to fight. They believe the original plea deal on the gun charge should remain in place. They say the President's son should not be indicted on that charge, as long as he stays off drugs and out of serious legal trouble, David.
CBS Evening News
9/6/2023
6:35:16 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: Now to breaking news concerning Hunter Biden. Federal prosecutors revealing in a court filing today that they will seek to indict the President's son before the end of this month. We get the new details from CBS's Catherine Herridge.
CATHERINE HERRIDGE: The prosecutor status report is the strongest indication that charges are looming in the Hunter Biden case. The President's son had previously reached a deal for alleged gun possession by a drug user that avoided prosecution if he abided by the terms for two years. But in July, a plea agreement for misdemeanor tax charges collapsed, leaving the future of the gun deal in question, and Hunter Biden facing legal jeopardy. Today, special counsel David Weiss revealed his plans, telling the court, the government intends to seek the return of an indictment, in this case, before September 29. Harry Litman is a former federal prosecutor. What’s the message from this filing?
HARRY LITMAN: The message from this filing is they’re going full-on bore at him on a charge that they normally wouldn't bring, so they are really playing hardball with Biden.
HERRIDGE: In August, Weiss, a Trump appointee, was named special counsel after prosecutors said negotiations with Hunter Biden's lawyers were at an impasse. An attorney for the President's son said today, "We expect a fair resolution. Based on the evidence and the law, not outside political pressure."
This development comes as House Republicans have already ramped up their investigations into the President and his son, calling the plea agreements a sweetheart deal, and they want special counsel Weiss to testify. Norah?
NBC Nightly News
9/6/2023
6:35:05 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Also breaking this evening, federal prosecutors say they will now seek an indictment of the President's son Hunter Biden just as Republicans ramp up their own investigations. Senior legal correspondent Laura Jarrett is here. Laura, explain the timing. Why now? We knew there were charges afoot.
LAURA JARRETT: And it seems as though it's still headed in the direction of trial, Lester, but for the first time, the special counsel David Weiss announced he does plan to seek a grand jury indictment of the President's son Hunter by the end of this month. That new timing is largely driven by Biden's rights to a speedy trial. Now, the precise charges, those are still unclear but this comes after Weiss had negotiated that plea deal allowing Hunter Biden to avoid prison time for illegally buying a gun while using drugs and failing to pay his taxes on time. You'll remember that deal fell through. Under a judge's scrutiny in July, Biden then pleaded not guilty. Meantime Republicans have blasted Weiss for what they call a sweetheart deal for the President’s son and are pressing Weiss for more information. But the real question here is whether prosecutors only charge him for the gun and the tax issues that we already know about or whether he's in greater jeopardy on his foreign business dealings. Now, Biden's attorneys say they believe at least some part of this deal is still valid, Lester.
