A federal judge has denied Hunter Biden's latest attempt to dismiss the tax charges against him, paving the way for his trial to commence next month in California. The case accuses Biden of engaging in a four-year scheme to evade paying at least $1.4 million in taxes.
Biden's lawyers had sought to have the case dismissed by citing a recent ruling in Florida that invalidated a separate prosecution involving former President Donald Trump. However, the judge in Biden's case ruled that the arguments presented did not warrant reconsideration of the decision to proceed with the trial.
The judge, who was appointed by Trump, criticized Biden's legal team for what he deemed as 'false statements' in their court filings. Specifically, the defense had inaccurately claimed that charges were only brought after the appointment of the special counsel, when in fact, charges had been filed prior to the appointment.
Despite the judge's admonition, he decided not to sanction the defense lawyers after they amended their filing. However, he emphasized the importance of candor in court proceedings.
Next steps in the case include a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, during which the judge will consider arguments regarding the admissibility of evidence from both the prosecution and defense.
This marks the second criminal trial for Hunter Biden in recent months, following his conviction in June on three felony charges related to the purchase of a gun in 2018.
