Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) denounced Hunter Biden’s conviction on charges of illegally purchasing a gun on Tuesday.
“Hunter may deserve to be arrested for something, but buying a gun isn’t that,” Massie he wrote on social media platform X. “There are millions of marijuana users who own guns in this country, and none of them should be in prison for purchasing or possessing a firearm, against current laws.”
Massie, a libertarian-minded conservative and staunch supporter of gun rights, made it clear that he was not defending the president’s son in general, but only his ability to purchase firearms.
And he was not alone among Republicans in criticizing the trial.
“Hunter Biden’s gun conviction is kind of dumb to be honest,” Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) wrote after the verdict.
Biden was convicted Tuesday of three felony counts of illegally purchasing and possessing a firearm, with prosecutors alleging that Biden lied on paperwork when he purchased a gun in 2018.
His weeklong trial often focused on his crack addiction and featured testimony from his family, friends and former partners.
The accusations have put some Republicans in a politically awkward position, given their support for broad protections for gun rights and gun owners.
Hunter Biden faces a maximum of 25 years in prison and $750,000 in fines, although first-time offenders rarely receive the maximum sentence. The president recently said he would not pardon his son if he were convicted.
In California, Hunter Biden faces separate charges for allegedly failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes and filing false returns, which could go to trial as early as September.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
