Massie speaks out against Hunter Biden verdict

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) denounced Hunter Biden’s conviction on charges that he illegally purchased a gun Tuesday.

“Hunter might deserve to be in jail for something, but purchasing a gun is not it,” Massie wrote on the social media platform X. “There are millions of marijuana users who own guns in this country, and none of them should be in jail for purchasing or possessing a firearm against current laws.”

Massie, a libertarian-minded conservative and staunch advocate of gun rights, made clear that he wasn’t defending the president’s son generally, but merely his ability to purchase firearms.

And he wasn’t alone among Republicans in criticizing the trial.

“The Hunter Biden gun conviction is kinda dumb tbh,” wrote Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) after the verdict.

Biden was convicted Tuesday of three felony counts of illegally purchasing and possessing a firearm, with prosecutors claiming Biden lied on paperwork when he purchased a handgun in 2018.

His weeklong trial often focused on his addiction to crack cocaine, and featured testimony from his family, friends and ex-partners.

The charges have put some Republicans in a politically awkward position, given their support for broad protections for gun rights and gun owners.

Hunter Biden faces a maximum of 25 years in prison and $750,000 in fines, although first-time offenders are rarely given the maximum penalty. The president said recently he would not pardon his son if convicted.  

In California, Hunter Biden faces separate charges for allegedly failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes and filing false returns, which could go to trial as soon as September.