Republicans want Hunter Biden's trial to distract from Trump's crimes -- but, so far, it's backfiring

[marmar]

Republicans want Hunter Biden's trial to distract from Trump's crimes — but, so far, it's backfiring
It illustrates instead how Democrats aren't lying, getting defensive, or pushing conspiracy theories

By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED JUNE 7, 2024 6:00AM (EDT)


(Salon) For a study in contrasts, it doesn't get more stark than the partisan reactions to the 34 felony convictions of Donald Trump versus the ongoing trial of Hunter Biden, the son of the sitting president. Even though Trump was convicted in a New York state court by a jury of 12 ordinary people, Republicans rushed forward to defend Trump with a series of lies and conspiracy theories. Although President Joe Biden had no hand in the prosecution, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La. blamed the "Biden administration" for an imaginary "weaponization of our justice system." Attorney General Merrick Garland was hauled before Congress and sat through hours of Republicans blaming him for the verdict. While few Republicans are stupid enough to pretend Trump is innocent, they refuse to accept that the only man responsible for the convictions is the man who committed the 34 felonies: Donald J. Trump.

In contrast, Democrats just aren't defending Hunter Biden on charges that he lied on a gun application about his drug addiction. President Biden released a statement affirming that he has "boundless love" for his son, but that he "won't comment" further. When asked about it, Democratic politicians and progressive pundits mostly reaffirm faith in the justice system and leave it at that. The only politician defending the younger Biden appears to be Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who said (accurately enough), "I don’t think the average American would have been charged with the gun thing." Outside of the rabid conspiracy theory MAGA circles, the social media response has mostly been variations of, to quote one Redditor, "Dear weirdos. no one cares about Hunter Biden. Signed, normal America."

....(snip)....

What treatment of Biden's trial illustrates is the vast gulf between the two parties when it comes not just to respect for rule of law, but whether they have a basic grasp on reality. The Republican obsession with Hunter Biden speaks more about them than it does about either President Biden or the larger Democratic Party. In the grifting economy of right-wing media, there's plenty of money to be had with lazy propaganda films meant to titillate elderly MAGA viewers with scenes depicting Hunter Biden smoking crack and nuzzling the breasts of sex workers. But it's not at all clear that anyone outside of the already MAGA-pilled is worked into a froth over this.

....(snip)....

In the end, it may be that the right's need for self-titillation was what doomed these efforts to make Hunter Biden their latest faux-scandal. Previous hoax scandals — such as "Benghazi" — worked because the false allegations towards Democrats involved a lot of complex inner workings of government that most people aren't going to take the time to understand. The obtuse nature of the conspiracy theory allowed people to assume whatever it is, it must be bad. ...............(more)

https://www.salon.com/2024/06/07/want-hunter-bidens-trial-to-distract-from--but-so-far-its-backfiring/

[marble falls]

1. Like a flea fart in a hurricane.

[Walleye]

2. We know this is all directed towards Joe, it's designed to break him and his resolve. Not working

[azureblue]

10. but what they don't realize

is the defense will make them testify, and the case will fall apart under questioning.. Then comes the fun - after Hunter is declared innocent of charges, he can then turn around and file a civil suit against the principles. So the GOP has to get a conviction to avoid that. At best they will get a hung jury.

I think the Hunter team is coming in loaded for bear. My bet is the GOP will try to stop proceedings once they are exposed, to stop Hunter's lawyers from exposing more GOP liars. The hidden point is all of the GOP's witnesses here have financially benefited from their statements. But it is one thing to make a statement in public, and another to repeat on the stand, and risk perjury and destroying the entire sham.. And giving Hunter more grounds for a successful civil suit.

[ChazInAz]

18. Using that laptop as evidence.

That, alone, should doom the prosecution's case.Its provenance is dubious, gods know how many people have been fooling around on the hard drive since it mysteriously popped up in a repair shop.
I still wonder how the judge accepted it as evidence.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. YES.

I noticed ahead of the coverage of the trial, they were all chomping at the bits for "drama" - especially the anticipation for the prosecution to bring in an "ex-" and SIL.

But when the jurors were selected quickly (And not a week later), and the trial began, they weren't getting what they desired (especially when the ex- hauled off and unloaded on one of 45's "nazi" aides). The coverage has become more and more mundane and lackadaisical.

In reality, it is a run of the mill "illegal gun possession" trial for a beleaguered man whose life has obviously been drenched in tragedy... and now you have RW loons bullying him as "retribution" against his father, all in a failed attempt to have a "private citizen" be the equivalent to a convicted felon ex-President. And especially since using him for the failed impeachment of his father has also apparently imploded.

It's all "false equivalence" to the nth degree.

[Hugin]

4. Precisely. n/t

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

6. Spot-on assessment!

It was pretty embarrassing for the MAGAtS when Hunter Biden’s ex-wife unloaded on Goebbels wannabe Garrett Ziegler and called him a “Nazi piece of shit”. Trying to compare Hunter Biden’s crimes to Donald Trump’s is beyond ridiculous and I hope it contributes to the Republicans getting their asses stomped like a vat of grapes come November.

[obamanut2012]

9. His wife did that, not his ex

[roscoeroscoe]

16. Trey Gowdy spoke out of turn on Fox

Called out the facts about the charges being vanishingly rare; I saw reporting on his comments being a rare outbreak of reality on Fox. Good for him.

[BumRushDaShow]

17. Conehead speaks?

Imagine that...

There are literally thousands of cases like Hunter's and few make local papers, let alone national/international news.

[ChazInAz]

20. I've been a vendor at gun shows.

I don't deal in guns, but make knives. From my table, I've watched gun dealers go through the application form with would-be buyers and have seen a few get refused. The normal result is just a lost sale, never a SWAT team descending upon the buyer or a congressional investigation. That would certainly enliven the average gun show.

[BumRushDaShow]

22. I would think that none of that would normally come up

unless the weapon was used to commit a crime (or was an add-on to some other non-related crime and they stumbled upon it - something often happening with traffic stops, etc.).

[keithbvadu2]

24. Funny that gun shows do not believe in 2A rights for their customers at the gun show.

[roscoeroscoe]

21. Believe it or not,

That's what he pointed out. Credit where it's due

[BumRushDaShow]

23. Well Gowdy left in a huff

sort of like how Buck did. I only wish he would have taken a few others with him!

[keithbvadu2]

5. They do not seem interested in Donnie Jr's obvious drug use.

[Traurigkeit]

12. Don Jr had a little white dust on his label in a past ohoto

No one blinked

[Traurigkeit]

13. Don Jr. had a little white dust on his lapel in a past photo

No one blinked

[yardwork]

7. If anything, both these trials confirm the negative opinions of many young people.

I suspect that for many progressive and independent young people, both the Trump trial and now the Hunter Biden trial confirm their opinion that American politics and the justice system are stuck in the past, focused on things that don't matter.

Ironically, trying Hunter Biden immediately after Trump sort of nullifies the right-wing complaints about trying Trump. If it's ok to haul Hunter into court for being a drug addict, then why not try Trump for paying off a porn star? Most young people will think both trials were stupid, but where does it leave the grouchy old white right wingers? Not much there.

I don't agree that trying Trump was a mistake - I'm glad he finally faced some legal justice - but I'm thinking about this from the point of view of young voters.

I'm rooting for Hunter Biden. He's overcome severe drug addiction and I hope he stays sober. I don't give a damn about the gun purchase and I guarantee nobody else does either. (I thought Republicans were opposed to gun control, anyway.)

[Cheezoholic]

8. They're running out of noodles ;) n/t

[LAS14]

11. Thanks for the post. nt

[Johonny]

14. It turns out a man in a downward spiral of drug addiction

Is more sympathetic than a grown man conspiring with scandal mag merchants to evade election law to cover up bonking porn stars.

[Martin68]

15. These are the reasons I somewhat cynically am glad Hunter is being tried for this minor crime. The contrast between

Democratic respect for the rule of law, civil public dignity, and family support stands in sharp contrast to the despicable performance that Trump and his Republican supporters put enduring Trump['s entire trial. Hunter will get a slap on the writs, while Republicans come off looking like a bunch of pigs mud-wrestling in public.

[Takket]

19. Also. This is far from the unhinged nonsense about Hunter and Joe scoring huge deals with China

Burisma, Ukraine etc etc

This trial is only about illegal possession of a firearm, which has NOTHING to do with his dad

[chouchou]

25. The whole thing reminds me of Cockroaches wanting to fly the Space Shuttle.

[Lovie777]

28. And don't turn on the light.....................

LOL

[CrispyQ]

26. "Dear weirdos. no one cares about Hunter Biden. Signed, normal America."

So true!! In fact, people might be more interested in how much coke Don Jr pilfered from the White House pharmacy.

[kimbutgar]

27. The most horrible thing is you know Hunter was depressed over the death of his beloved brother and took

Drugs to dull his pain.

I always remember seeing a picture of them after the car accident that took his mother and sister’s life and Beau was his guardian holding his hand.

And the repukes are despicable to use this to weaken President Biden. They are some evil SOBs who I hope rot in hell soon!

[WA-03 Democrat]

29. Trump very first act as President

was signing a bill that allowed people with cognitive issues to own and get guns in 2017. I would like to see astro-turf - "save our guns" with Hunter being the poster boy for 2A. Let's take that issue front on. Allowing to be on any side of an issue is easy to create division. That is what this game is - turning the tables is page one of KGB playbook- let's do it.
Hunter will not be convicted.

[AdamGG]

30. Kind of absurd that the Rethuglicans are getting so fired up about

the violation of a federal gun law when they want to enforce no gun laws.