Hunter Biden disbarred in Connecticut after complaints about gun, tax convictions

WATERBURY, Conn. — A judge on Monday disbarred Connecticut’s Hunter Biden for violating the state’s attorney conduct rules, a decision that comes after complaints were filed over federal weapons and tax charges for which Biden was convicted before being pardoned last year by his father, former President Joe Biden.

As part of a settlement with the state office of disciplining lawyers, Hunter Biden consented to being disbarred and admitted to his lawyer’s misconduct, but he did not admit to any criminal wrongdoing. He was disbarred in Washington, D.C., in May.

Hunter Biden did not speak as he and his attorney, Ross Garber, appeared by video during a virtual hearing before Referee Patrick L. Carroll III in Waterbury.

Hunter Biden was convicted last year in federal court in Delaware of three felonies for purchasing a gun in 2018 when, prosecutors say, he lied on a federal form that he was not illegally using drugs or addicted to drugs.

He was scheduled to go to trial in September 2024 in a California case in which prosecutors accused him of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes. He agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor and felony charges hours after jury selection began.

The Connecticut judge found that Hunter Biden violated several ethical rules applicable to lawyers, including engaging in conduct “involving dishonesty, fraud, deception or misrepresentation.” In a court document, Hunter Biden admitted to some, but not all, allegations of misconduct. The judge also cited disbarment in Washington.

Paul Dorsey, one of two people who filed suit against the former president’s son, told the judge during Monday’s hearing that he opposed the deal because Hunter Biden had not admitted to committing crimes. But Leanne Larson, an attorney in the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel, cited clemency.

Hunter Biden was admitted to the Connecticut bar in 1997, a year after graduating from Yale Law School.