Hunter Biden hires Alex Murdaugh’s lawyer in latest court case; Abbe Lowell out
Hunter Biden has hired a heavyweight South Carolina attorney – with a similar high-profile to his last lawyer – to go after a right-wing business executive for defamation.
Former state Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Columbia, a self-described "Joe Biden guy" who recently represented Low Country prosecutor-turned-convicted killer Alex Murdaugh, is the younger Biden’s new lawyer as he pursues ex-Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne in court.
Harpootlian confirmed to The State newspaper in Columbia that he is replacing Abbe David Lowell – who led Biden through his special counsel probe and gun charges in Wilmington.
Biden, who was pardoned by his father for those allegations, is primed to go to Los Angeles court in July against Byrne.
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The suit claims Byrne wrongfully accused Biden of being in touch with Iranian officials in 2021, seeking a bribe in exchange for unfreezing $8 billion in funds at the behest of his father.
Meanwhile, Biden is reportedly facing "lagging" art sales and "several million dollars in debt" from fighting past cases when he was represented by Lowell, according to ABC News.
In the Byrne case, Biden is reportedly claiming defamatory statements from the Iran allegation that led him to lose "economic opportunities," including memoir and art sales and speaking engagements estimated to be collectively worth about $500,000.
Harpootlian was ousted from the state Senate in a narrow November upset by state Sen. Russell Ott, D-St. Matthews, as both men were seeking a redrawn, open seat.
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Ott criticized Harpootlian’s representation of Murdaugh, according to the Daily Gazette, and while the longtime Biden ally performed well in urban Richland County, where he also practices law, Ott overperformed in rural Calhoun County, where he and his father long held office.
"We went through a process… I lost. The process worked. I’m not accusing anybody of stealing anything. I’m not having a temper tantrum. I’m not expressing some doubt in our system," Harpootlian said in conceding the race.
Harpootlian also told a 2023 crime-themed convention that he would rather represent Murdaugh pro-bono in a second trial than splurge on a vacation or a racehorse:
"What's so astounding about that? We do cases for free all the time," he said at CrimeCon.
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Meanwhile, Lowell was a constant presence while Biden was fighting various allegations in the special counsel probe and House Republicans’ investigations.
After a 2024 deposition, Lowell slammed GOP lawmakers for ending the day "where they started."
"They have produced no evidence that would do anything to support the notion that there was any financial transactions that involved Hunter with his father. Period," Lowell said.
"It seems to me that the Republican members wanted to spend more time talking about my client's addiction than they could ask any question that had anything to do with what they call their impeachment inquiry."
Lowell is also facing a defamation suit, to the tune of $20 million, brought by IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley Jr. and Joseph Ziegler.
Fox News Digital reached out to Harpootlian’s Columbia office and a communications email for Lowell seeking additional comment.