Hunter Biden made a court appearance on Wednesday in Delaware, where he pleaded “not guilty” after his plea deal with federal prosecutors fell apart. The case revolves around two misdemeanor tax charges and a felony firearm offense. The initial plea deal involved Hunter Biden pleading guilty to two misdemeanor tax counts for willful failure to pay federal income tax. This agreement was designed to help him avoid jail time for a felony gun charge. However, during the court appearance, Judge Maryellen Noreika refused to accept the plea agreement.

The charges against Hunter Biden include the two misdemeanor tax offenses, which relate to his alleged failure to pay taxes in 2017 and 2018. The filing indicates that he earned over $1.5 million in income each year. Additionally, he faced a felony firearm offense for the alleged possession of a handgun while being an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

Judge Noreika raised concerns about the constitutionality of the diversion clause in the plea agreement, which would have granted Hunter Biden immunity from future charges related to the firearm offense if he complied with certain terms for approximately 24 months. The judge questioned whether it was within her jurisdiction to determine Hunter Biden’s compliance and make a finding of fact before bringing charges.

Furthermore, the judge inquired about the possibility of future charges and whether Hunter Biden was currently under active investigation. Prosecutors confirmed that he was indeed under investigation but did not disclose the specific nature of the investigation.

As the judge pressed federal prosecutors about the ongoing investigation and the potential for future charges, the original plea deal began to unravel. Hunter Biden’s defense attorney, Chris Clark, disagreed with the prosecution’s stance that pleading guilty to the tax offenses would not immunize him from future charges. Clark declared the plea deal “null and void.”

Both sides requested time to negotiate, and the judge left the courtroom to allow for further discussions. Ultimately, Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty because the judge could not accept the plea deal as it was constructed.

Before the court appearance, IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler testified about alleged misconduct and political interference in the investigation into Hunter Biden. They claimed that politics influenced prosecutorial decisions throughout the years-long investigation. House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith filed an amicus brief requesting that the court consider this testimony before accepting the plea deal.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated that Hunter Biden’s case was handled independently by the Justice Department under the leadership of a prosecutor appointed by former President Trump. The White House emphasized that President Biden and the first lady support their son as he rebuilds his life.

The Justice Department also denied any political interference in the investigation, stating that the matter was handled with a commitment to evenhanded administration of justice.

Towards the end of the hearing, Judge Noreika expressed her apologies to Hunter Biden for the delay and stated that she needed more information to ensure justice was served. She requested briefings from both sides but did not set a firm date for future proceedings.

Throughout the hearing, the judge questioned Hunter Biden about his sobriety and his business dealings, including his involvement with Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings and Chinese energy firm CEFC.