That’s some perk for a “private citizen.”
First son Hunter Biden was driven to and from the federal courthouse in Wilmington, Del., in a motorcade comprising about half a dozen SUVs Wednesday, drawing outrage from conservatives.
The first son’s appearance was intended to cement a controversial plea arrangement for misdemeanor tax violations and a felony firearm charge.
That went awry following a dispute between prosecutors and defense attorneys over the possibility of future charges for Hunter — including potential unregistered foreign lobbying.
But the elaborate security detail accompanying the 53-year-old triggered Twitter grousing over taxpayers footing the bill for the convoy.
Other detractors also questioned whether the security detail was necessary.
“Hunter Biden seriously has a motorcade? Is that normal or do they just help transport his coke?” self-described TikTok influencer Sarah Sizzle tweeted.
“Tax payers just funded Hunter Biden’s motorcade arrival to his court appearance where he’s expected to admitted he didn’t pay his taxes. The DOJ just spit in your face and told you it was raining,” Breanna Morello, a producer at “The Absolute Truth with Emerald Robinson,” alleged on Twitter.
“Why Hunter Biden’s taxpayer paid for secret service motorcade only proves a father’s love for his son,” conservative commentator and contributing editor for the Spectator Stephen L. Miller tweeted, riffing off fawning headlines about the relationship between President Biden and his offspring.
“I’m just not gonna get into anything that’s related to Hunter Biden. He’s a private citizen” – Karine Jean-Pierre A “private citizen” with a motorcade and a security detail and lives at the WH and..
“Let’s do this what is Hunter Biden’s secret service code name?” user Dr. Richard Harambe tweeted.
“Where’s Hunter? In one heck of a motorcade paid for by taxpayers,” Sen. Ted Cruz’s former communications adviser Steve Guest tweeted.
Remember, Hunter Biden is a "private citizen" … who keeps appointments in a six-car, taxpayer-funded motorcade, and his criminal enterprise has nothing to do with his corrupt father whose name he used to extort shakedown payments from foreign oligarchs. https://t.co/5R14rk4qp7
— Cruadin (@cruadin) July 26, 2023
At the top of her briefing Wednesday, Jean-Pierre declined to speak on the first son’s chaotic court appearance.
“Hunter Biden is a private citizen and this was a personal matter for him. As we have said, the president, the first lady, they love their son, and they support him as he continues to rebuild his life,” she said. “This case was handled independently — as all of you know — by the Justice Department under the leadership of a prosecutor appointed by the former president, President Trump.”
Shortly after Hunter Biden entered the courtroom, the hearing descended into chaos as both sides attempted to salvage the plea deal.
By Wednesday afternoon, the first son pleaded not guilty as a pro forma step while US District Judge Maryellen Noreika put the deal on hold.