Secret Service agents intervened in the 2018 case involving Hunter Biden’s gun, even though the Bidens were not entitled to its protection at the time, FBI documents confirm.
The highly unusual (and potentially inappropriate) involvement of the agency that protects presidents emerged from new court documents filed in Delaware’s federal gun crimes case against the First Son.
Anonymous sources have previously claimed in media interviews that US Secret Service (USSS) agents showed up at a Delaware gun store where the First Son purchased a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver in October 2018, after His sister-in-law and then-girlfriend Hallie Biden threw it in the supermarket trash.
At the time, the Bidens were not eligible for Secret Service protection, and the agency has repeatedly denied any involvement.
But now the owner of Wilmington gun store StarQuest Shooters, Ron Palimere, has given the FBI an interviewUnder penalty of criminal prosecution, he testified that USSS agents showed up in October 2018 and demanded that he hand over the form Hunter filled out to purchase the gun.
But now Wilmington gun store StarQuest Shooters owner Ron Palimere (pictured right) has given an interview to the FBI, under penalty of criminal prosecution, testifying that USSS agents showed up around October 24, 2018 and demanded that he submit the form. Hunter filled out the form to purchase the gun.
Secret Service agents intervened in a 2018 case involving Hunter Biden’s ‘stolen’ gun, even though the Bidens did not have Secret Service protection at the time, FBI documents show.
He said no. If Palimere had submitted Form 4473, it is unclear whether Hunter would face weapons charges today.
The Secret Service provides protection to presidents and their families for life, but vice presidents only get the benefit during their term. Joe Biden left the vice presidency in January 2017, almost two years before Hunter bought the gun.
The document is now the basis of the proceedings against him. He shows that to purchase the gun, he checked a box stating that he was not addicted to illegal substances. He admitted in his memoir that he was a “total addict” to crack cocaine at the time.
Lying on the federal form is a crime.
The federal form has been discussed repeatedly at Hunter’s trial this week in Wilmington.
But there has been no mention of the alleged improper involvement of the Secret Service, whose agents are in the courtroom, protecting Hunter and the members of the First Family who have come to support him.
“Palimere believes it was on October 24, 2018, when, separately, the Delaware State Police (DSP) and the United States Secret Service (USSS) arrived at StarQuest,” an FBI article about the interview said. Palimere made last week.
Palimere refused to hand over the form Hunter filled out to purchase the gun. Had he turned in ‘Form 4473,’ it is unclear whether Hunter would face weapons charges today.
The document is now the basis of the accusation against Hunter. He shows that in order to purchase the gun, he checked a box stating that he was not addicted to illegal substances, when in fact he wrote in his memoir that he was a “total addict” to crack cocaine at the time.
Hunter Biden (left) holds hands with his wife Melissa Cohen (right) as he leaves court Monday at the end of the opening day of his trial on criminal weapons charges in Wilmington, Delaware.
First lady Jill Biden, center, leaves the federal courthouse, Friday, June 7, 2024, in Wilmington, Delaware.
First lady Jill Biden, center, leaves federal court on Friday
United States First Lady Dr. Jill Biden (right) arrives to attend the trial of her son Hunter Biden in the United States Federal District Court in Wilmington, Delaware, on Friday.
‘They said the firearm was involved in a case of some kind and they wanted to speed up the tracing process and get access to Form 4473.
‘Both agencies asked the same questions and appeared to be unaware of each other’s investigations. Something about the USSS application didn’t seem right, so he contacted Palimere (a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent he knew). (The agent) advised Palimere not to give the original Form 4473 to anyone and to give a copy only if Palimere felt he had to.’
A Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver similar to Hunter’s that Hallie Biden threw in the supermarket trash
The FBI interview report was filed last month as part of evidence in Hunter’s trial in Delaware for lying about his gun form.
The special agent who conducted the interview, Erika Jensen, provided extensive testimony at Hunter’s trial, which began June 3.
Another StarQuest employee interviewed by the FBI this month, Gordon Cleveland, also said that he “heard from other StarQuest employees who worked day shifts that law enforcement visited the store and they went out of their way and were not very kind to Palimere.”
The accounts, now recorded in FBI interviews, contradict USSS claims from 2021 that they were not involved in the investigation of Hunter’s allegedly illegal weapons purchase.
Sources first revealed the Secret Service’s suspicious visit to the gun store to the news site. political in March 2021.
The federal form has been discussed repeatedly at Hunter’s trial this week in Wilmington. Pictured: President Joe Biden, right, hugs his son Hunter Biden.
At the time, the Secret Service told the site that they had no records of agents investigating the incident, telling DailyMail.com that ‘US Secret Service records confirm that the agency did not provide protection to any members of the Biden family in 2018, and that the Secret Service had no involvement in this alleged incident.’
But emails obtained by Judicial Watch, a nonprofit organization, show that internally USSS officials weren’t so sure.
‘Is it a little strange that we were involved in the missing gun investigation when neither Hunter nor Joe were even receiving USSS protection at the time? Hmmm,” an unidentified agent said in the emails.
‘Maybe they asked us for a favor?’ said another.
‘My God…’ one responded.