Facts Matter: Hunter Biden, protesters and Trump have all been indicted

Former President Donald Trump has been sitting in a courtroom this month, facing 34 counts of falsifying business records, and listening to arguments in his first criminal trial.

Some internet users have attempted to show the former president being unfairly targeted by the Justice Department. A chart recently posted on social media highlights a claim that charges against Trump are the result of unbalanced justice.

The chart, in an April 17 Facebook post that shares an X post, lists Hunter Biden, The Big Guy, The Clintons, Epstein’s clients, Anthony Fauci, COVID criminals, BLM rioters and Antifa terrorists. After each of these names, it says, “0 indictments.” At the bottom of the chart it reads, “Donald Trump — 91 indictments.”

But this chart is misleading and inaccurate, according to PolitiFact. Although it’s unclear what some names refer to, such as “The Big Guy” and “COVID criminals,” others have been indicted in crimes.

Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, has been indicted twice on 12 criminal counts. Last year he was indicted in September on three charges related to a gun purchase, and in December, he was charged with nine tax violations.

As for COVID criminals, the Justice Department reported this month that more than 3,500 defendants have been charged with crimes in fraud cases related to coronavirus financial assistance programs through the CARES Act.

There have also been arrests of participants in Black Lives Matter protests, if that is what the list refers to as “BLM rioters.” People at the demonstrations have been indicted when things got out of hand. A justice department report in 2020 showed more than 300 people have been charged in 29 states and Washington D.C. with crimes committed during the protests.

Biden didn’t work as trucker

President Joe Biden has been on the campaign trail and on Tuesday he stopped at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida.

During the April 23 speech, the president had a conversation with an audience member who identified himself as, “Teamster in the house.” During the exchange, the audience member said, “The only reason I have a pension is because of you.”

Biden answered, “Well, we did get that done. Anyway. Besides, I used to drive an 18-wheeler.”

But that claim about driving a truck is false, according to CNN. And it’s a falsehood the president has claimed before. During a 2021 tour of a Mack Trucks facility, Biden told the crowd, “I used to drive an 18-wheeler, man.” And while talking to college students studying truck technology during a different event that year, he said, “I used to drive a tractor-trailer. I only did it for part of a summer, but I got my license anyway.”

But there is no evidence Biden ever drove an 18-wheeler, CNN said.

When the news organization inquired in 2021, The White House told CNN that Biden at one time had a part-time job driving a school bus, which is not an 18-wheeler, and as a senator in 1973, he rode in, but did not drive, a cargo truck.

Cohen indictment related to work with Trump

Although former President Donald Trump has been sitting quietly through the current criminal proceedings, he usually has something to say as he leaves the Manhattan court building.

On Monday, Trump was talking about his former personal lawyer and potential witness Michael Cohen when he addressed reporters and onlookers.

“ (Cohen) got in trouble for things that had nothing to do with me,” Trump said.

But this is false, according to The Washington Post. The indictments against Cohen were all related to the attorney’s work with the former president.

Of the charges Cohen pleaded guilty to, two — “causing an unlawful corporate contribution” and “making an excessive campaign contribution” — are directly related to the trial Trump is currently involved with. The indictment against Cohen, which allegedly identified Trump as “Individual-1,” laid out how Cohen worked with the National Enquirer to publish only stories favorable to Trump’s campaign.

Venus Williams didn’t forfeit match

A recent social media post claims tennis great Venus Williams chose not to participate in a match.

“Venus Williams Forfeits Match Against Trans Woman: ‘I’m Not Playing a Man,’” reads an April 18 Facebook post that includes two photos.

But this is false, according to Reuters. There are no credible reports that this happened. This post originated on a site that publishes satire.

The two photos in the post show neither Venus Williams nor a trans athlete. The images are of tennis star Serena Williams, Venus’ sister, and French tennis player Amelie Mauresmo, who is not a trans athlete.

The two photos appeared in a different fake article titled “Venus Williams Gets a Standing Ovation For Refusing To Play a Trans Woman,” which was posted on a satire website.

• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News. Contact him at boboswald33@gmail.com.