Why does Hunter Biden's lawyer Chris Clark want to quit? President's son hires veteran attorney Abbe Lowell
WASHINGTON, DC: Hunter Biden's senior criminal defense attorney has asked a federal judge in Delaware to permit him to step down from his role as Biden's attorney. He claimed that the collapse of the plea deal he had arranged with prosecutors could result in him testifying against Biden.
On Tuesday, August 15, attorney Christopher Clark submitted a motion asking to resign from the case, citing uncertainties surrounding Biden's abandoned plea deals on tax charges and unlawful gun possession, as reported by USA Today.
Why does Hunter Biden's lawyer Chris Clark want to quit?
Clark's notification to the court suggests that he might be called in to testify about the plea agreement that the Justice Department tried to revoke minutes after Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Delaware prosecutor David Weiss to act as a special counsel in Hunter Biden's case.
The motion-to-withdraw statement stated: "Based on recent developments, it appears that the negotiation and drafting of the plea agreement and diversion agreement will be contested, and Mr Clark is a percipient witness to those issues."
It further stated: "Under the ‘witness-advocate’ rule, it is inadvisable for Mr Clark to continue as counsel in this case." The request is expected to be approved by the judge.
Clark's motion to withdraw from the case was taken the day after President Biden's son officially hired veteran attorney Abbe Lowell, rearranging his legal team.
The motion argued that the younger Biden has access to several alternative legal counsel options and will not suffer a "substantial hardship" due to Clark's withdrawal from the case.
Biden's defense attorneys were also accused by Special Counsel David Weiss of "inaccurately" portraying the breakdown of fresh plea bargaining terms. The deal fell through last week when a judge questioned the terms Weiss was presenting.
Who is Chris Clark?
According to the Clark Smith Villazor website, Christopher J Clark (known as Chris Clark) is an internationally renowned attorney. He has won significant cases with the highest stakes for high-profile individuals in almost every kind of dispute.
Clark has produced outstanding outcomes for clients in multi-billion dollar lawsuits and litigations, from criminal cases (State of New York and US v. Elliott Broidy) to SEC instances (SEC v. Elon Musk, SEC v. Mark Cuban).
Clark has also worked on company crisis management and oversight disputes (The National Law Journal Crisis Management Trailblazer).
In Hunter Biden's federal tax case, Clark is the only one from his legal team who has asked to be recused because of fear that he would be called as a witness in the dubious, since-abandoned plea agreement he helped negotiate.
Clark represented the junior Biden during the five-year federal investigation that resulted in charges against the first son for intentional failure to pay federal income taxes and possession of an illegal handgun while abusing drugs.
According to court papers, Clark assisted in negotiating the contentious plea agreement with the federal government that was shredded by a judge last month. He will probably be a "percipient" witness in subsequent proceedings over the collapsed pact.
Hunter Biden is facing tax and gun charges
Hunter Biden had consented in June to plead guilty to two tax evasion felony charges in exchange for the prosecution's request that he receive probation rather than jail time.
In exchange, Biden agreed to take part in a pretrial diversionary program for a crime involving a firearm.
After the judge rejected the plea offer, Biden pleaded not guilty to allegations of failing to pay taxes on more than $1.5 million in income in 2017 and 2018, despite owing more than $100,000.
Biden has not entered a plea in another instance where he is accused of illegally possessing a gun while under the influence of drugs, which is a felony as well.