• mo_ztt ✅@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Honestly, it’s probably pretty accurate that the prosecutors bowed to Republican pressure. Hunter Biden initially got the same “eh, I don’t really want to open this can of worms” treatment that Matt Gaetz and Jared Kushner got. Then the Republicans got involved, and now he’s getting treated like a normal person who broke the law.

    Is that a bad thing? To me, not really. Now do Gaetz and Kushner.

    • Beetschnapps@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      EXCEPT, what is the real issue with Hunter’s behavior?

      Best I’ve been able to tell Hunter is guilty of being privileged and well off. Not really anything unlawful.

      Meanwhile Gaetz supposedly trafficked a minor and paid said minor via Venmo.

      Sorry I just don’t see the equivalence.

      • mo_ztt ✅@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        What?

        The indictment alleges that from tax years 2016 through 2019, Hunter Biden didn’t pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes, and that he filed false returns for tax year 2018 in order to evade the assessment of taxes. The indictment alleges that the president’s son “subverted the payroll and tax withholding process of his own company by withdrawing millions outside of the payroll and tax withholding process; spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills; in 2018, stopped paying his outstanding and overdue taxes for tax year 2015; willfully failed to pay his 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 taxes on time, despite having access to funds to pay some or all of these taxes; willfully failed to file his 2017 and 2018 tax returns, on time; and when he did finally file his 2018 returns, included false business deductions in order to reduce the very substantial tax liability he faced as of February 2020.”

        That’s according to NPR.

        Is that worse than paying a minor for sex? Honestly, I don’t care; they’re both crimes, so charge both of them.

        • Beetschnapps@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          Yea man Lauren Hill is just as bad as trafficking minors and being able to pay back owed taxes is just like that.

          Just curious if I owe taxes too am I just like Gaetz?

          • mo_ztt ✅@lemmy.world
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            11 months ago

            Again: What?

            You asked “what is the real issue with Hunter’s behavior?”, making it sound like he never committed any crime, so I listed some of the crimes he allegedly committed. Not paying or not filing taxes are technically crimes, yes. They’re rarely prosecuted though. If you owe some money, you’re probably fine, especially if you’re in communication with the IRS. If you’re falsifying your deductions and you owe millions to the IRS and are years behind on your filings you may be in trouble, yes, and they may tack on charges for money you didn’t pay or years you filed late once they’re annoyed at you.

            Like I say, I’m not interested in whataboutism about Matt Gaetz in order to downplay anything Biden did. Firearms violations and tax charges are not the worst thing in the world, no. In comparison with what Jeffrey Dahmer did, what Matt Gaetz did wasn’t that bad. Neither comparison is relevant. Just charge the people with what they committed, whether it’s white-collar crime or predatory sex or serial murder. Which yes, means I think Matt Gaetz should have gotten charges. That doesn’t mean, though, that I want to try to pretend Hunter Biden didn’t do anything (or allegedly do anything; he still has his day in court to defend himself from the allegations.)

            • Beetschnapps@lemmy.world
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              11 months ago

              Because I’m not debating his behavior I’m debating it’s worth as a scandal. Whatabout all you need. You’re still focused on a white guy who owes taxes. Why that is a big deal is up to you.

              • mo_ztt ✅@lemmy.world
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                11 months ago

                Is it a big deal to me? 0%. I don’t give a shit what happens to Hunter Biden. The only reason I care about this story at all is that it’s nice to see well-connected white collar criminals getting charges for once. If you’d replied to me asking how much this is worth as a scandal, or pointing out that what Matt Gaetz did was worse, then we could have had a nice agreeable conversation about yeah I agree with you on that. Instead you told me that he did “not really anything unlawful,” and that’s how we started talking.

                I mean do you feel the same way about Trump’s trial for business fraud in New York? If someone said that in that venue he’s just guilty of being privileged and well off, not really anything unlawful, how would you feel about that?

                • Beetschnapps@lemmy.world
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                  11 months ago

                  I mean he’s not been convicted of anything yet. Only accused of rather common concerns of taxes owed. Nothing close to decades of fraud like trump. Yet it’s only in the headlines because republicans are desperate. I just don’t see Biden’s son being the white collar sacrificial lamb that matters.

                  Again why the “scandal”? At most his big unlawful behavior is a matter of owing money that can be paid. Meanwhile Jan 6… but yea everyone should be held to follow the law. So back taxes is where we draw the line?

      • MJKee9@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        They were drawing comparisons as to the process, not the substance or severity of the crimes.

      • Omega@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Isn’t it tax and child support evasion? Pretty vanilla, but it occasionally lands prison time.

        • Beetschnapps@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          Right so we’re talking about paying taxes. The same thing rich folks have shrugged off for decades. So he’s Wesley Snipes?

          Not trying to excuse it but is that up there with trafficking minors?

          • Omega@lemmy.world
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            11 months ago

            Yeah, Wesley Snipes is exactly who I was thinking of.

            I don’t think it’s up there with trafficking minors, I didn’t say it was. You said it was nothing unlawful, which isn’t true.

            • Beetschnapps@lemmy.world
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              11 months ago

              I never said it was unlawful. I said it wasn’t equivalent. Kinda like comparing Hunter to say trumps kids who were denied access to top secret info but then trump reversed that.children who were even employed at the White House despite any real qualifications.

              The better comparison would be if Hillary Clinton employed Chelsey but that never happened so here we are talking about Hunter for no real reason. Other folks have tax problems but suddenly Hunter is an issue.

              • Omega@lemmy.world
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                11 months ago

                You literally said he didn’t do anything unlawful. Also, that’s the only thing I commented on. Everything you’re saying about false equivalencies is just you talking to yourself.

                "EXCEPT, what is the real issue with Hunter’s behavior?

                Best I’ve been able to tell Hunter is guilty of being privileged and well off. Not really anything unlawful."

                • Beetschnapps@lemmy.world
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                  11 months ago

                  Because best I can tell that’s the case. He’s not convicted of anything and all we’re talking about is republican talking points of how “corrupt” Hunter is based on accusations. This whole conversation is centered on republican talking points and at worst it means Hunter owes the IRS no diff than any of us. Meanwhile trump is facing over 40 indictments. His kids were given jobs in the White House and access to top secret info. But Hunter owes taxes so stop the presses?

                  I’m not saying he gets a pass but what this is is kinda laughable compared to the real concerns of democracy’s lifespan.

  • Omega@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Let’s just convict both Hunter and Donald for tax fraud, give them the same sentence, make them roomies, and everything. However long, I don’t care. Make everyone happy.

    • lennybird@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      And by don’t care, I really don’t give a damn what happens to some dude not in office.

      I’m far more concerned about the fascist who tried overthrowing a free and fair election.