Why Has Biden Been Criminally Charged?

President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, has just been criminally charged with three counts of lying while buying a firearm. Indicted in a federal court in Delaware on Thursday, it is the first time that the child of a sitting president has been formally prosecuted in the US. But what did Hunter Biden actually do? All three of the counts against him are in relation to Mr Biden allegedly lying on forms while purchasing a firearm five years ago. Hunter, who has since declared he was a heavy user of crack cocaine at the time, allegedly made false claims that he was not using any drugs when he made the firearm purchase at a Delaware gun shop in 2018. Under US federal law, it is illegal to possess a gun if you are a drug user, and it's a crime to lie on documents when buying firearms. The prosecutor in the case, special counsel David Weiss, was first appointed as a US attorney by Trump in 2018. There are accusations from Biden's legal team that his decision to indict Hunter Biden is a result of political pressure and improper and partisan interference from Trump-supporting Republicans. However, on the conservative side, there are claims that the charges against the president's son are merely the tip of the iceberg. So what does all of this mean for President Joe Biden, beyond just adding to the pressure on President Biden, who has had his fair share of gaffes lately, including getting cut off by his press secretary during a rambling speech in Hanoi? These charges also offer ammunition to the Republican side in the form of a welcome distraction away from Donald Trump's own legal dramas. If it goes to trial, Joe Biden's 2024 re-election bid may face detraction by a public legal battle involving his son, who, if convicted, could face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.