President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, plans to plead “not guilty” regarding his illegal purchase and ownership of a firearm in 2018 after his indictment on Sep. 14. These plans arose shortly after Hunter’s plea deal, where he would plead guilty and serve probation, spectacularly failed. In an interwoven and familial set of circumstances, President Joe Biden, an open supporter of stricter gun laws, has been caught in the crossfire while his son has been caught with his pants down.

Specifically, Hunter has been accused of lying about his addiction to narcotics at the time of purchase, specifically cocaine, and then possessing said firearm illegally (while addicted) for 11 days. This puts President Biden in an awkward spot, not just because the president is his father, but also some controversy surrounding Hunter and Biden benefiting from their famous political ties. Because of this, much conversation has spread regarding gun restrictions and even President Biden’s intentions.

House Republicans have even met to discuss a possible impeachment of Joe Biden, discussing and debating whether Biden and his family benefited from foreign business transactions run by Hunter, though no evidence has been found to support this and the White House denies any wrongdoing. Laws regarding narcotics and gun possession have also become a topic of conversation, as marijuana has come into question as a narcotic that should be an exception to these laws, leading some to claim that these laws are too vague or even unconstitutional. 

Hunter Biden’s charges could land him in prison for 10 – 25 years, though many believe that the court case is unfair and that Hunter may be able to bail himself out of prison time. Hunter’s charges themselves are also found to be controversial as many think he should not serve time for his crime. This is mostly due to Hunter’s lack of documented criminal activity at the time of purchase. Around the time of purchase and ownership, Hunter purchased no ammunition, had no criminal record, did not use the gun in a crime, and did not participate in any other crimes, with the exception of owning and using cocaine.

The type of weapon Hunter purchased is a Colt Cobra revolver, a lightweight American handgun discontinued in 1981 by Colt that can hold 6 rounds of ammunition. The gun is very famous among many gun nuts, popular for its effectiveness at close range and for being a good crime/gang gun. Though, because of the gun’s age, having been first manufactured in 1950, many argue that the case is overblown as Hunter may have simply purchased it for decorative or collecting purposes. This is further supported by Hunter’s lack of ammunition purchases, though the weapon could still be used for criminal purposes, especially while under the influence of illicit and highly addictive narcotics leading to the indictment. Hunter even spoke about his serious addiction to cocaine well after his purchase, claiming at one point that he could not go without stimulants for 15 minutes.

“I went one time for 13 days without sleeping and smoking crack and drinking vodka exclusively throughout that entire time,” Hunter Biden said to CBS in April 2021. This serious addiction has led many to believe Hunter should serve his time for owning the gun while addicted, maybe even more so.

“I don’t think that [Hunter] is going to serve time,” social studies teacher Lauren Velazquez said. “I think that oftentimes in cases like this, it’s usually like a fine [that will be paid]. I do think that there will be some version of a trial where he will have to make a public statement. Definitely, I think he will be able to pay any pre-trial bail. I think that people’s views, especially with President Biden, are already pretty solidified, and there’s been a lot of criticism of Hunter Biden in the past. So, I think the people who are holding the president accountable for his son have already made that opinion. I think both the political tension in our world, which I think this is an example of, especially as we get closer to the election, we will feel that political attention even more. This is an important discussion about gun restrictions [which is] always on the minds of all of our students.”

If there are any two things to take away from Hunter Biden’s actions, it is the topics of gun control and familial benefits. Many consider Hunter’s illegal purchase and possession to be an issue of lenient gun control laws while others see it as an aspect of being a famous politician’s president. Some believe President Biden is profiting and benefiting from his son’s connection to himself and is privately advocating for more of it, only for him to go against it once his son gets in trouble, while others see that idea as ridiculous and only hope for the best for the Biden family. As the case progresses and a final decision is made by a court of law, many outcomes will show themselves regarding Hunter’s punishment, the president’s true affiliations to his son’s actions, and general Biden family connection.