A federal judge has ordered that Hunter Biden appear in court for his arraignment on federal gun charges despite his requests to have his first hearing to take place virtually.
President Biden’s son was charged by Special Counsel David Weiss with making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm; making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federal firearms licensed dealer; and one count of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.
Hunter Biden’s lawyers on Tuesday told the court the president’s son is expected to plead not guilty, while requesting his first appearance take place on video conference–something Weiss’ team opposed in a filing early Wednesday.
Wednesday afternoon, though, U.S. Magistrate Judge from the District of Delaware Christopher Burke rejected Biden’s request, saying he should not receive special treatment.
“In the end, the Court agrees with both the Defendant and the Government, that Defendant should not receive special treatment in this matter—absent some unusual circumstance, he should be treated just as would any other defendant in our Court,” Burke stated in the filing.
Hunter Biden’s court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 26 at 10:00 a.m. in Delaware.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.