Hunter Biden asked a federal judge Wednesday to dismiss his lawsuit against former Trump aide Garrett Ziegler, citing financial difficulties that have made it hard to continue litigation. The case centers on the publication of contents from Biden’s laptop.
In court filings in California, Biden’s attorneys urged U.S. District Judge Hernan D. Vera to dismiss the lawsuit, stating that Biden has suffered a “significant downturn” in income and is burdened with debt in the millions.
His financial troubles worsened after wildfires in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades neighborhood rendered his rental home unlivable, his attorneys said. They added that Biden has struggled to secure a new permanent residence and earn a living, making it necessary to prioritize his relocation and family expenses over the lawsuit.
Biden sued Ziegler and his company, Marco Polo, in September 2023, alleging they violated state and federal laws by creating an online searchable database with 128,000 emails attributed to him. Judge Vera had previously rejected Ziegler’s motion to dismiss the case and ordered him to pay roughly $18,000 for Biden’s legal fees.
In a separate court filing Wednesday, Biden said he is unable to borrow money and had expected paid speaking engagements and appearances based on feedback from his artwork and memoir, but those opportunities have not materialized. He also reported a drop in book sales, with copies sold falling from over 3,100 in the six months before the lawsuit to about 1,100 in the following six-month period.
