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Hunter Biden trial enters day 4 after wild testimony from exes on rampant drug use, trashed hotel rooms

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Hunter Biden trial enters day 4 after wild testimony from exes on rampant drug use, trashed hotel rooms

WILMINGTON, DEL. — Details about Hunter Biden’s relationship with a 24-year-old stripper, his need for crack cocaine every 20 minutes and how his spiraling addiction torpedoed his first marriage were on full display for the jury as it considers the first son’s three felony charges related to the purchase of a revolver in 2018.

“He would want to smoke the second he woke up,” Biden’s ex-girlfriend, Zoe Kestan, testified Wednesday. She met Biden when she worked at a gentleman’s club in New York City when she was 24 and he was 48.

The court heard continued testimony from FBI Special Agent Erika Jensen on Wednesday, as well as from Biden’s ex-wife Kathleen Buhle, Kestan and gun shop employee Gordon Cleveland, as prosecutors worked to prove to the jury Biden lied about his drug addiction when he filled out a federal form to buy a Colt revolver gun in 2018. 

Biden is facing charges of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally-licensed gun dealer and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance. 

HUNTER BIDEN TRIAL ENTERS 3RD DAY WITH CROSS-EXAMINATION OF FBI AGENT

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Hunter Biden arrives to federal court with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, on June 5, 2024, in Wilmington, Delaware. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Biden pleaded not guilty in the case. 

The total maximum prison time for the three charges could be up to 25 years. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release. 

Kestan detailed in her testimony that she met Biden in December 2017 after he booked a private room for 30 minutes at the strip club where she worked, ultimately sparking a relationship with the man she described as “charming and charismatic.” Kestan, who testified under immunity, walked the jury through Biden’s rampant drug abuse throughout their relationship, including him smoking crack in hotel rooms, stealing away to public bathrooms to smoke crack and how she helped pick up drugs for him. She said the crack cocaine he purchased often was the size of a “ping pong ball,” which he broke into pieces and lit up in glass pipes. 

‘LIKE A SON’: FORMER TOP BIDEN ADVISER WITH DEEP BUSINESS TIES TO CHINA SPOTTED INSIDE HUNTER BIDEN GUN TRIAL

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Kestan described that Biden was a “super charming” man when she first met him and that she was “confused” about how he was able to appear coherent and cognizant after smoking the hard drug. 

“I didn’t notice it. Sometimes I think that’s because I was catching feelings for him,” she told the court. 

Kestan said their whirlwind relationship was a “distraction” for Biden, as he allegedly smoked less when they were hidden away, sometimes for days at a time, in ritzy hotel rooms such as New York City’s Four Seasons or in a bungalow at Los Angeles’ Chateau Marmont. 

Kestan detailed the rise and fall of their relationship, including how he called on her to clean up one of the trashed hotel rooms that was littered with crack residue, pipes, snacks and alcohol. He also asked her to pick up his car after it was towed in Los Angeles in 2018. 

HUNTER BIDEN’S WIFE LASHES OUT AT FORMER TRUMP AIDE DURING COURT APPEARANCE: ‘PIECE OF S—‘

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A court sketch depicts Hunter Biden’s ex-girlfriend, Zoe Kestan, in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (William J. Hennessy Jr.)

Accompanying Kestan’s testimony were photos depicting crack pipes in hotel rooms often sitting next to bottles of liquor or beer, a photo of a bare-chested Biden in a bubble bath with Kestan and a screenshot of a FaceTime video showing Biden’s back tattoo that resembled claw marks. The jurors were told amid Kestan’s remarks that Biden learned how to cook crack cocaine, and they were shown a photo of baking soda in one hotel room used to cook cocaine into crack. 

Kestan said Biden often spoke about how he was an addict and wished to get sober, including his attempt to purge his body of drugs with frog venom called “kambo.” 

HUNTER BIDEN’S DRUG USE: WHAT THE PROSECUTION NEEDS TO PROVE AND WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW

Though Kestan knew Biden before and after purchasing the Colt revolver in October 2018, the pair did not speak the month of the purchase, rekindling their relationship in November 2018 before it officially ended. 

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A court sketch depicts Hunter Biden’s trial in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (William J. Hennessy Jr.)

Buhle, Biden’s ex-wife of more than 20 years with whom she shares three daughters, also took the stand Wednesday. Buhle and Biden divorced in 2017 after Buhle found a crack pipe on the side porch of their home in Washington, D.C., in 2015, she told the court. 

Buhle was soft-spoken and appeared emotional during her testimony as she detailed her suspicions of his rampant drug use after he was discharged from the Navy Reserves for testing positive for cocaine and the subsequent death of their marriage. “I was definitely worried, scared,” she said, describing how she would scour his car for drugs and drug paraphernalia to ensure their daughters would not drive the vehicle around with the substances. 

Buhle said following the discovery of a crack pipe at their home in 2015, they participated in couple’s therapy before the marriage ended. Buhle said she does not remember the date they officially terminated their marriage, only saying it occurred on Good Friday of 2017. 

HUNTER BIDEN TRIAL: 9 KEY FIGURES WHO MAY TESTIFY

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Hunter Biden’s former wife, Kathleen Buhle, departs the federal courthouse after taking the stand during Biden’s trial on criminal gun charges in Wilmington, Delaware, June 5, 2024. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

Buhle was on the stand the shortest amount of time among witnesses and deeply exhaled as she quickly left the courtroom Wednesday morning. 

Jurors were apparently rapt by Buhle’s presence in the court following relatively dry continued testimony from Special Agent Jensen, who discussed Wells Fargo bank records early Wednesday morning. Nearly all the jurors were jotting down notes or at least holding their notepads and pens when Buhle first took the stand. 

Following testimony from Hunter’s ex-wife and ex-girlfriend, prosecutors next called on Cleveland, the gun shop employee who sold Biden the revolver in October 2018. 

US V HUNTER BIDEN: OPENING STATEMENTS TO BEGIN IN FIRST SON’S FEDERAL GUN TRIAL AFTER JURY SEATED

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Cleveland, who previously worked as a salesman at StarQuest Shooters & Survival Supply in Wilmington, detailed the sequence of events on Oct. 12, 2018, down to the detail of Biden driving a black Cadillac the day of the purchase. 

“I like guns, and I like cars,” Cleveland told the court when asked how he remembers what Biden was driving. The comment elicited chuckles among the jury, members of the media and others in the courtroom. 

Gordon Cleveland departs federal court Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Wilmington, Delaware. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Cleveland said Biden entered the store late in the afternoon in 2018 with the intention of buying a gun. Biden bought a Cobra Colt .38, a box of ammunition, a speed loader for the gun and a BB gun. 

Cleveland said he gave Biden a federal gun form to fill out, explaining he instructed him to take his time and answer the form “truthfully.” Cleveland said he was about two feet from Biden as he filled out the form, including question 11 E, which asked whether he was an unlawful user of or addicted to drugs. Biden checked the box that said he was not addicted to drugs. 

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A court sketch depicts Hunter Biden’s trial in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (William J. Hennessy Jr.)

Cleveland laughed when defense attorney Abbe Lowell asked if he was “familiar with the phrase whale hunter?”

“Yes,” he responded, chuckling before arguing that although he “didn’t do up-sales,” he was able to sell expensive guns to customers, such as two Desert Eagles, in a single day.

When asked if Cleveland often sold ammunition along with a gun sale, the court again broke into laughter over the former salesman’s response. 

HUNTER BIDEN’S CRIMINAL TRIAL ON FEDERAL GUN CHARGES BEGINS WITH JURY SELECTION

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​​”What are you gonna do? Throw [a gun] at somebody?” he quipped, noting ammo was often sold alongside a gun. 

In opening statements on Tuesday, the defense team argued Biden’s gun purchase was hurried by gun shop employees seeking to make a sale. Cleveland, however, was confident in his responses to Lowell on Wednesday that Biden was the one to ultimately choose the Colt revolver, the ammo and speed loader. The purchase of the BB gun, he said, was a decision solely made by Biden. The BB gun is one that had the appearance of an actual handgun, lacking the traditional orange tip found on most other BB guns. 

Jurors were shown the gun, box of ammunition and speed loader in court Wednesday. 

Biden was joined by stepmother Jill Biden for the third day. She again took a front-row seat behind the first son. She wore a bright pink suit and matching heels, casually chatting with family members and allies throughout the day, but she sat quietly with her legs crossed and hands clasped over her knees. She was again seated next to Biden’s second wife, Melissa Cohen Biden. 

Hunter Biden, left, departs federal court with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Wilmington, Delaware. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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Court resumes Thursday at 9 a.m. with continued cross-examination of Cleveland. Prosecutors announced late Wednesday they have six additional witnesses who will take the stand and could rest their case as soon as Thursday afternoon. 

Biden’s former romantic partner and sister-in-law, Hallie Biden, Beau Biden’s widow, could be among witnesses who take the stand Thursday. 

The defense team’s witnesses will take the stand after prosecutors rest their case. 

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Mamdani’s rent freeze, tax hikes a ‘one-two wealth destruction punch,’ economists warn

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Mamdani’s rent freeze, tax hikes a ‘one-two wealth destruction punch,’ economists warn

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New Yorkers could be facing a “one-two wealth destruction punch” if Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s rent freeze and tax hikes take effect, economists warn.

Mamdani’s housing plan, a campaign promise aimed at addressing affordability, includes an immediate freeze on roughly 2 million rent-stabilized apartments. Separately, his broader $127 billion budget agenda calls for higher taxes on wealthy residents and corporations, as well as a potential 9.5% property tax increase if state lawmakers decline to act.

In the nation’s largest city and a global financial center, the outcome of Mamdani’s proposals could shape not only the future of New York’s housing market, but also broader debates over regulation, taxation and urban policy.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani placed affordability at the center of his campaign to lead the nation’s largest city. (Angelina Katsanis/AFP/Getty Images)

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Edward Pinto, senior fellow and co-director of the AEI Housing Center at the American Enterprise Institute, said capping rent increases while raising property taxes would pressure landlords from both directions, reducing revenue while increasing expenses.

“This would be a one-two wealth destruction punch,” Pinto told Fox News Digital. “The rent freeze would drive multifamily property values down and the increase in property taxes would drive both multifamily and single-family values down,” he said.

That, he warned, could ripple across the housing market, affecting not only landlords, but also homeowners whose property values are tied to broader market conditions. He also said the policies could discourage new housing construction and lead landlords to defer repairs and improvements.

“At the same time, the construction of new supply would contract, and property upkeep would diminish as repairs are deferred and improvements are not made,” Pinto said.

CONSERVATIVE STATES SEE LOWER INFLATION THAN LIBERAL ONES NATIONWIDE, WHITE HOUSE DATA SHOWS

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Economists warn that Mamdani’s housing proposal will exacerbate affordability issues in the nation’s largest city. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Expanding on that argument, E.J. Antoni, chief economist at the Heritage Foundation, said the risks extend beyond property values and could ultimately reduce the city’s housing supply.

“Economists — whether they are on the right or on the left — essentially are in universal agreement, that when the government implements price controls in the rental market, you end up with housing shortages,” Antoni told Fox News Digital.

“And not only do you end up with fewer housing units available, but the quality of those units consistently goes down as well,” he added.

Emily Hamilton, the director of the Urbanity Project at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, echoed similar concerns with Mamdani’s housing policy platform.

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“It’s going to exacerbate the city’s housing quality problems that the current rent stabilization law is already exacerbating. A rent freeze would just make that worse, and ultimately will contribute to the reduction in the supply of rent-stabilized units,” she said.

Mamdani, who made lowering costs for New Yorkers a cornerstone of his campaign, has also proposed building 200,000 affordable rental units. Hamilton said that portion of the proposal could be more promising.

FROM FREE BUSES TO CITY-OWNED GROCERY STORES, HERE ARE MAMDANI’S KEY ECONOMIC PROMISES

With billions of dollars and millions of renters at stake, the outcome of Mamdani’s plan could shape New York City’s property landscape for years to come. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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She explained that the passage of the 1961 Zoning Resolution made it difficult to add real estate in New York City, which contributed to an affordability problem and a push to regulate rents. 

“It’s regulation on top of regulation, rather than addressing the root cause of housing undersupply and just making it easier to build housing of all types at all price points,” Hamilton said.

Mamdani’s office did not reach out to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

With billions of dollars and millions of renters at stake, the outcome of the debate could shape the city’s property landscape for years to come.

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Boston, MA

Bruins Believe They ‘Didn’t Do Enough’ In Loss To Flyers | NESN

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Bruins Believe They ‘Didn’t Do Enough’ In Loss To Flyers | NESN


The Boston Bruins suffered a 3-1 road loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

Boston entered the game in points in eight-straight games, as the Bruins are competing for a playoff spot. However, Boston’s offense struggled on Saturday, as the Bruins scored just once on Dan Vladar, and head coach Marco Sturm felt like the team didn’t do enough to create more scoring chances.

“(Vladar) played really good, he kind of made those saves he needed to,” Sturm said as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage on Saturday. “We just didn’t do enough of a good job being around him or being front of him.”

Although Sturm didn’t like Boston’s play, Vladar still made some key stops when the game was close. 

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Bruins forward Morgan Geekie had multiple chances and was frustrated that he couldn’t score on any of them.

“Just one of those nights,” Geekie said. “Their goalie played well. Couldn’t quite put it in the spot I wanted to a couple times and Dan made a couple great plays.”

Boston’s lone goal came from Charlie McAvoy, while Jeremy Swayman made 14 saves on 16 shots, as Philadelphia added an empty-netter to secure the win.

With the loss, the Bruins fell to 33-21-5 and are holding onto the final Wild Card spot. Boston will return to the ice at home on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

More NHL: Charlie McAvoy’s Mother Reveals His Immediate Reaction To Team USA’s Gold Medal Win

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Silovs makes 22 saves, Penguins shut out Golden Knights | NHL.com

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Silovs makes 22 saves, Penguins shut out Golden Knights | NHL.com


Vegas allowed two power-play goals on Pittsburgh’s four chances after giving up one on 12 opportunities the previous four games. 

“I think we just had poor execution all game long,” Golden Knights forward Reilly Smith said. “Obviously, our penalty kill has been pretty good for us and that wasn’t good enough tonight.” 

Rickard Rakell pushed it to 4-0 on another power play at 15:06, stopping a shot from Karlsson with his left skate and wrapping a shot around Hill. 

Brazeau scored on a wrist shot from above the right circle at 14:59 of the third period for the 5-0 final. 

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“Second period, they took it to us,” McNabb said. “We were out of it, basically.” 

NOTES: With goals from Kindel, Chinakhov and Brazeau, the Penguins have 73 goals by players in their first season with the team. It’s the most in the NHL this season and 13 more than the next closest (the Anaheim Ducks, 59). … The Golden Knights have been outscored 9-1 in the first and second periods of their first three games out of the break for the Olympics. … Karlsson has 908 points (204 goals, 704 assists), tied with Scott Stevens (908 points; 196 goals, 712 assists) for the 13th-most by a defenseman in League history. … Vegas forward Mitch Marner had a point streak end at six games (seven points; four goals, three assists).



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