this post was submitted on 10 Dec 2023
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A couple months ago the findings against Hunter Biden were nothing, not even worth taking to court, only under GOP pressure did the Trump appointed prosecutor take it to court. Now it seems like a big deal and 17 years (max). What happened? Why the change? Was new evidence found?

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[–] Jaccident@lemm.ee 32 points 11 months ago (1 children)

It isn’t. The point is that accruing back taxes requires payment and may, at the discretion of the IRS, mandate a criminal charge. He wasn’t charge at the time because he paid, but he could have been. So now they want him to have been.

However I think neither party really wants things to go this way, and Republicans are going to see lots of retaliatory investigation and charges brought over missed payments etc. should they pursue this.

A waste of time and money, doesn’t improve anything in the world, just creates more division. Basically the GOP motto.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Don't think missing payments is illegal, they just fine you to hell and back, but it's not criminal. From further reading I'm gathering there was some low-key fraud, and that they will nail you for.

[–] Jaccident@lemm.ee 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Accruing back taxes can happen for a lot of reasons, one of which would be deliberate under reporting, which if a form of fraud. Hence why the IRS has the latitude to recommend charges if they feel the actions were significant and deliberate.

It’s important to remember that Trump’s current case he’s arguing he didn’t have the Mens Rea for deliberate fraud, so it’s weird to see GOP members discounting that argument as invalid with Biden.

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 3 points 11 months ago

It's unconscionable certainly, but "weird" implies unusual or unexpected.