WILMINGTON, Del. — A gun store employee testified Wednesday that he saw Hunter Biden fill out the federal firearms form at the center of the government’s case against President Biden’s son, as prosecutors suggested that he purchased it for drug deals.
Gordon Cleveland, who was employed as a salesman at StarQuest Shooters in Wilmington, Delaware on October 12, 2018, testified that he watched from “about two feet away” as Hunter Biden filled out Form 4473 and checked a box “no” to indicate he was not using or addicted to any controlled substances.
Whether Hunter Biden filed out that paperwork himself is critical to the government’s case. He is accused of making two false statements when filling out the form to purchase the weapon by claiming not to be addicted to or using illegal drugs, and then unlawfully possessing the Colt revolver for 11 days. Under federal law, it is illegal for someone addicted to drugs to own a firearm.
Earlier Wednesday, jurors heard testimony from Hunter Biden’s ex-wife Kathleen Buhle, and his former girlfriend, Zoe Kasten. Both testified about Hunter Biden’s drug addiction, with Ms. Kasten telling the court he smoked crack weeks before the gun purchase.
But Mr. Cleveland’s testimony strikes at the heart of the trial because he is the only known witness to Hunter Biden filling out the form. He told the court that Hunter Biden came into the gun store and said he was “looking for a firearm,” for self-defense. He said the two discussed different categories of ammunition and other things including a speed loader.
Mr. Cleveland said he instructed Hunter Biden to write his personal information and to “take your time answering them,” and watched as the first son answered several questions on the form, including question 11.E about drug use.
“You saw him strike that box with an ’X’? Prosecutor Derek Hines asked.
“Yes,” Mr. Cleveland responded, adding that Hunter Biden didn’t ask any questions about the form.
Defense attorney Abbe Lowell grilled Mr. Cleveland about his sales practices, arguing that the gun shop clerk convinced Hunter Biden to buy the speed loader, ammunition, BB gun, and utility tool that he purchased.
Mr. Lowell said that Mr. Cleveland was called the “whale hunter,” a phrase used for a salesperson who is more concerned with selling a customer more than they need.
In response, Mr. Cleveland shot back that he got paid the same salary regardless of what his customers bought, and insisted Hunter Biden selected the items he purchased.
Earlier, Ms. Kasten testified that she met Hunter Biden while she was working part-time at a gentleman’s club in New York in December 2017. She detailed their drug-fueled relationship for a federal jury, saying Hunter Biden failed at several attempts to get sober, including an experiment with frog venom.
She testified that Hunter Biden “would want to smoke crack as soon as he woke up.” She also told jurors that he gave drug dealers an access code to his bank account to facilitate drug purchases.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.