President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden expressed support for Hunter Biden in the wake of his not guilty plea before a federal court Wednesday, Fox News reported.
Hunter Biden, son of the president and the late Neilia Hunter Biden, pleaded not guilty after a deal with the Department of Justice to plead guilty to two counts of misdemeanor tax fraud reached a major hurdle.
A separate agreement with the department surrounding a felony gun charge is also in jeopardy.
"Hunter Biden is a private citizen, and this was a personal matter for him. As we have said, the president, the first lady, they love their son, and they support him as he continues to rebuild his life," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated.
"This case was handled independently, as all of you know, by the Justice Department under the leadership of a prosecutor appointed by the former president, President [Donald] Trump," she continued, adding that further questions should be referred to the DOJ and Hunter Biden's legal team.
U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika rejected the federal government's plea agreement over concerns about the immunity Hunter Biden would receive.
She also questioned the constitutionality of the proposed pretrial diversion program for Hunter Biden, including her planned purview over it, and whether case law existed to support the defendant's argument.
Still, Noreika said it was possible that all of the proposed terms could be adopted if more information was provided to change her mind.
Meanwhile, DOJ prosecutors argued the plea deal would not immunize Hunter Biden from future charges, saying he remains under investigation but not providing further details.
Noreika subsequently put the court in recess.
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