ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – A local university professor says Hunter Biden's sentence could even the playing field between the two leading presidential candidates in the next election.
Rockford University political science professor Bob Evans believes Tuesday's verdict will soften the blow of former President Donald Trump's recent conviction, even though the case involved the son of a sitting president, whom President Joe Biden has said he loves and supports.
“Optimistically, it may take some of the steam out of the debate about whether either side is abusing the court,” Evans said.
Hunter Biden, 54, was convicted by a federal jury of three felony firearms charges after prosecutors alleged he lied about his drug use when trying to purchase a firearm.
But Evans said there was a big difference between Biden's federal cases and Trump's state cases: While Biden can't influence state cases, he can get involved in federal cases or choose not to intervene.
Evans also said Biden's case was simpler, the charges were simpler and the witnesses were close to him. That gave credibility to the witnesses' testimony, Evans said, whereas in Trump's trial the jury had to decide whether each witness was honest. It also took 10 days to reach a verdict on Trump's case, while it took three hours to reach a verdict on Biden's case.
Analysts like Evans say they don't expect Biden to face any significant punishment.
“It will be a light sentence given the nature of the offence and an appeal will take time so the sentence will be stayed if appealed,” Mr Evans said.
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