Hunter Biden's bid to halt his trial on federal gun charges rejected by appeals court

WASHINGTON -- An appeals court refused Tuesday to halt Hunter Biden's federal gun trial set to begin in two weeks, during his father’s reelection campaign.

The full 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to pause the case against the president's son while his challenges to the prosecution on multiple fronts play out. His bid to dismiss the case had previously been rejected by a three-judge panel.

Defense attorneys for the president’s son had argued there was no urgent need to start the trial on June 3. They also cited the short time between the Delaware trial and the start of another trial on tax charges in California tentatively set to begin the same month.

Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to lying about his drug use in October 2018 on a form to buy a gun that he kept for about 11 days in Delaware. He has acknowledged an addiction to crack cocaine during that period, but his lawyers have said he didn’t break the law.

Defense attorneys are also appealing a separate decision from U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika rejecting a claim that the case violates the Constitution’s Second Amendment on firearm ownership.

The investigation had looked ready to wrap up with a plea deal last year, but the agreement imploded after a judge raised questions about it. Biden was subsequently indicted by Justice Department special counsel David Weiss in both Delaware and California, where he's accused of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes over three years while living an “extravagant lifestyle,” during his days of using drugs. He is separately challenging rulings rejecting his motions to dismiss those charges.