Former first son Hunter Biden asked a federal judge Thursday to let him keep a $1.7 million defamation judgment he won against Overstock.com founder Patrick Byrne rather than have it go toward the money he owes others.
Law firm Winston Taylor LLP filed a notice of lien against Biden, saying it previously represented him in the Byrne case, congressional investigations, and his felony cases, but hasn’t been paid. The lien would mean that any payout goes first to satisfy the creditor.
Biden’s current attorney, Brian Sullivan, filed paperwork to “strike” the lien, arguing among other legal deficiencies that the contract Biden signed didn’t properly explain to him — a lawyer himself — the negative consequences of a lien.
Winston Taylor is suing Biden in D.C. court for millions in fees. Biden has said he can’t pay because he is penniless, testifying that “I don’t have any assets. I don’t own a car. I don’t own a phone.”
In court filings this year, the law firm claimed Biden destroyed evidence, has been “evasive,” and “continues to make invalid excuses.”
The $1.7 million defamation judgment, which Biden won in default when Byrne didn’t show up to defend himself, would change that — but it seems, he still doesn’t intend to pay. Byrne is appealing the judgment but has put up a $2.1 million bond to demonstrate that he will pay if he loses the appeal.
Sullivan told The Daily Wire that Winston Taylor knew the risk they were taking when they agreed to represent Biden.
“They took the case on knowing that he wasn’t able to pay them. They knew that was the situation. If he came into a sizable amount of money he always said he would pay, but they took it on with that risk,” he said.
“He hoped they could do a legal defense fund and raise money, but things didn’t turn out as anybody hoped,” he added, saying that like the demand for Biden’s paintings, the number of donors looking to write a check for Hunter Biden has dried up now that his father isn’t in the Oval Office.
Sullivan said the lien is in his interest as much as Biden’s: The entire defamation judgment would likely be eaten up by the old lawyers’ fees, leaving Sullivan unpaid for his more recent work on the case.
Biden’s attorney at Winston Taylor LLP was Abbe Lowell, a politically connected Democrat who has represented figures like ex-Sen. Bob Menendez and Jack Abramoff. He has since left Winston Taylor, potentially allowing Biden to feel more free to stiff the firm.
“It’s not Abbe Lowell’s lien. Abbe hasn’t been there for a year and a half. We have a great relationship with Abbe,” Sullivan said.
Lowell and Winston Taylor LLP did not return requests for comment.
Materials on Biden’s infamous laptop showed him routinely seeming to scheme to cut others out of money, while spending lavishly on himself. But Biden, who says he now has years of sobriety, is on a media tour attempting to rebrand himself as a new man.
.png)
.png)
