Hunter Biden Drops Laptop-Related Lawsuit Due to Financial Struggles
Hunter Biden has informed a federal judge that he can no longer afford to continue his lawsuit against a former aide to Donald Trump, citing severe financial difficulties.
The son of President Joe Biden sued Garrett Ziegler in 2023, accusing him and his non-profit, Marco Polo, of illegally publishing an online database containing 128,000 emails from a laptop linked to Mr. Biden.
Ziegler has previously dismissed the lawsuit as "completely frivolous."
In a court filing on Wednesday, Mr. Biden’s attorneys requested that U.S. District Judge Hernan D. Vera dismiss the case, stating that Biden’s income has "significantly declined" and that he is burdened with millions of dollars in debt.
Financial Challenges and Legal Battles
The filing details a series of financial setbacks that have left Mr. Biden struggling to maintain stability. His rental home in Pacific Palisades was rendered "unlivable" after a wildfire in January, making it difficult for him to secure stable housing.
Additionally, his primary sources of income—art sales and book royalties—have seen a steep decline. Before the lawsuit, he had sold 27 pieces of art for an average price of $54,500 each. Since then, he has managed to sell only one piece for $36,000.
His memoir, Beautiful Things, saw a similar drop in sales, declining from more than 3,100 copies sold between April and September 2023 to roughly 1,100 in the following six months.
The filing also notes that Mr. Biden is reassessing other lawsuits he is involved in to determine which ones he can afford to continue.
The Laptop Controversy and Legal History
The abandoned laptop, which was left at a Delaware repair shop, became a focal point during the 2020 presidential campaign. The hard drive's contents were widely scrutinized by Republican lawmakers while Joe Biden was in office.
Initially, the Biden team dismissed the laptop as part of a "smear campaign" tied to Russian disinformation. However, U.S. media outlets have since authenticated the hard drive, which is now in the FBI’s possession.
In a previous ruling, Judge Vera denied Ziegler’s motion to dismiss the case and ordered him to pay approximately $18,000 in Biden’s legal fees.
Hunter Biden has also faced legal trouble of his own. Last year, he was convicted on federal gun charges and pleaded guilty in a federal tax case. However, President Biden pardoned him in December before his sentencing in the gun case.
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