Hunter Biden Takes Legal Action Against Former Trump Aide Over 'Laptop from Hell' Controversy
In the latest chapter of the ongoing saga surrounding Hunter Biden's so-called "laptop from hell," the son of President Joe Biden has filed a lawsuit against Garrett Ziegler, a former aide to Donald Trump. The suit alleges Ziegler's involvement in leaking content from the controversial laptop.
The 13-page lawsuit, filed in California, claims that Ziegler, along with ten unnamed defendants, improperly "accessed, manipulated, and damaged computer data" that did not belong to them, thereby violating California's computer fraud laws. The suit further outlines how the defendants allegedly obtained and disseminated tens of thousands of Hunter's emails, photos, videos, and recordings on the internet.
Hunter's legal team did not mince words in the lawsuit, stating, "While Defendant Ziegler is entitled to his extremist and counterfactual opinions, he has no right to engage in illegal activities to advance his right-wing agenda." They further accused Ziegler and his "nonprofit research group" of precisely such actions.
This lawsuit is the latest move in Hunter's legal counteroffensive against those involved in the laptop controversy, which first gained traction during the 2020 presidential election. Earlier this year, Hunter's attorneys filed a countersuit against John Paul Mac Isaac, the Delaware-based computer repairman who initially obtained and allegedly disseminated data from the laptop in question, believed to have belonged to Hunter in 2019.
Furthermore, Hunter's legal team has previously referred Ziegler to both federal and state investigators for alleged criminal behavior. They also sent two letters to Ziegler in February 2023, instructing him to preserve any documents related to the matter.
In the current lawsuit, Hunter seeks a jury trial to determine appropriate damages and an injunction to prevent Ziegler from further accessing or tampering with his data.
Outside of the laptop controversy, Hunter continues to face legal challenges. A plea deal related to a federal investigation into his overseas business dealings recently fell through. U.S. Attorney David Weiss announced plans to indict Hunter on tax and gun charges in multiple jurisdictions following the breakdown of the plea agreement.
Additionally, a GOP-led congressional investigation into the Biden family is ongoing. House Republicans have declared their intention to initiate an impeachment inquiry into President Biden over alleged involvement in Hunter's overseas business activities. The White House has responded to these allegations, describing the impeachment inquiry as "extreme politics at its worst" and firmly asserting that "the president hasn’t done anything wrong."
As the legal battles and political controversies continue to unfold, the nation watches closely, awaiting the next development in this intricate web of claims and counterclaims.