Hunter Biden's legal woes: looming troubles for Joe Biden's re-election bid?

As the November 2024 presidential election looms, the United States’ political climate is charged with tension, spotlighting issues far beyond day-to-day concerns. The legal challenges facing former President Donald Trump are poised to influence the election’s destiny, with the US Supreme Court holding significant sway over his prospects.

President Joe Biden confronts a daunting political terrain. Polls suggest he trails his Republican adversaries, with the economy, foreign policy and immigration issues eroding public support. Moreover, perceptions of his age and on-camera presence contribute to an image of an aging leader.

Complicating the political agenda, President Biden faces the allegations against his son, Hunter Biden, which could present future challenges. A recent 56-page indictment charges Hunter with devising a scheme to dodge at least $1.4 million in federal taxes from 2016 to 2019. Facing nine counts, including tax evasion and making false tax returns, Hunter Biden could be sentenced to up to 17 years in prison, if convicted.

These indictments against his son not only pose emotional hurdles for President Biden but also introduce a political quandary as he gears up for the presidential race.

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The controversies surrounding Hunter Biden extend beyond tax evasion. The laptop scandal preceding the 2020 elections ignited debates from multiple perspectives. Allegedly left at a repair shop, the laptop contained emails and documents that raised questions about Hunter’s overseas business dealings and potential links to his father, Joe Biden, fuelling political debates and inquiries into the integrity of both Hunter’s business practices and the Biden family’s conduct.

Additionally, accusations that Joe Biden, as Vice President, influenced the dismissal of Ukrainian Prosecutor-General, Viktor Shokin—who was investigating a company connected to Hunter—add layers of complexity to this narrative.

Before the 2020 elections, Trump endeavoured to leverage Hunter Biden’s situation in his campaign against Joe Biden. The former President’s impeachment hinged on a phone call in which Trump urged Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, to investigate the Bidens, though Trump was later acquitted in the Senate.

In the volatile aftermath of the 2020 elections, with Trump challenging the results and alleging conspiracies, Hunter Biden’s investigations became a focus of Trump’s allegations. Trump accused Attorney-General, William Barr, whom he had reappointed, of malfeasance and stated that he did not interfere in the Hunter Biden cases.

Scrutiny also extends to Joe Biden’s brother, James Biden, with allegations of preferential treatment in an Iraqi housing contract and ties to funding from a Chinese energy firm for a joint project with Hunter. These issues, already highlighted before the 2020 elections, are poised to feature even more prominently as the 2024 election candidates are confirmed.

The impact of these family-related allegations on Joe Biden’s political standing before the elections is significant. Trump has claimed that the downplayed allegations against Hunter and the slow legal proceedings were strategic, intended to disadvantage Joe Biden. The question remains: How has public perception of these issues evolved over the past five years?

A POLITICO/Morning Consult poll from February 2020 showed a majority of voters found it inappropriate for Hunter Biden to work for a Ukrainian gas company while his father managed US foreign policy there. In voter preferences, 40 per cent said the Biden-Ukraine issue would not affect their vote, 31 per cent said it made them less likely to support Biden and 8 per cent said it would influence their vote.

A September 2023 CNN poll found that 61 per cent believed Joe Biden was somewhat involved in Hunter’s business dealings, with 42 per cent deeming his actions illegal, 18 per cent unethical but not illegal, and 38 per cent seeing no involvement during his vice presidency. Only 1 per cent believed Biden was involved, but acted appropriately.

Though comparing these polls like a scientific study has limitations, they indicate growing voter criticism of the allegations against Hunter Biden, with Joe Biden becoming a more frequent target than in the previous election cycle. The polls also reveal that political polarisation plays a significant role in these perceptions, with Republican voters more likely to hold Joe Biden accountable.

The United States is in the midst of one of its most captivating electoral periods. Currently, both Republican candidates and Biden appear united in their focus on Trump. However, legal proceedings, particularly those involving Hunter Biden, are expected to dominate Joe Biden’s political agenda. Regardless of the outcome, the Republican Party seems prepared to wield the Hunter Biden narrative as a political weapon against the Democrats for the foreseeable future.

READ: Hunter Biden reportedly sought over $2m to help unfreeze Libya assets

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.