Hunter Biden wants gun conviction dropped after Cannon ruling

(The Center Square) – Hunter Biden wants his gun convictions dropped after a judge tossed out charges against former President Donald Trump in his classified documents case.

A jury convicted Hunter Biden, the president's son, on three federal felonies in June. Hunter Biden faces up to 10 years in prison on the first two counts and five years on the third count.

Hunter Biden's legal team has asked a judge to dismiss the case for the same reason a Florida judge dismissed the classified documents case against Trump.

Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the classified documents case because she said Special Counsel Jack Smith's appointment violated the Appointments Clause of the Constitution, in particular, because the Biden administration funded the prosecution without authorization from Congress, which retains the power of the purse.

Special counsel David Weiss indicted Hunter Biden in September 2023 in federal court in Delaware on three counts tied to the possession of a gun while using drugs.

"The invalidity of the Special Counsel appointment also renders this prosecution a violation of the Appropriations Clause, as there is no appropriation by Congress to fund it," Hunter Biden's legal team wrote in a recent motion.

The judge overseeing Hunter Biden's case had yet to rule on the motion as of Wednesday afternoon.