Only time can tell just where the indictments of Hunter Biden on felony gun charges will lead.

The only thing certain so far is that special counsel David Weiss clearly realized he couldn’t let the statute of limitations pass without indicting Hunter again.

Not when an avalanche of whistleblowers and more-reluctant witnesses have testified to how badly Weiss (and/or Attorney General Merrick Garland) botched the serious tax-felony investigation until it was too late to charge.

But how Weiss proceeds to prosecute this case, when in his day job as Delaware district attorney he still ultimately works for the defendant’s father, is a huge mystery.

Hunter’s lawyers, understandably, still want to revive the plea deal that would let him walk.

But the judge already vetoed that “unprecedented” bargain.

The evidence makes it an open-and-shut case: Hunter’s own autobiography shows he was near-constantly drugged-up at the time in question, and if necessary a long parade of witnesses can testify to that.  

Yet he can’t credibly deny signing the federal form claiming he was clean, or telling the gun dealer the same.

And among the many ironies here is that the Secret Service wound up recovering the weapon after Hunter’s then-girlfriend (his late brother’s widow) in a panic tossed it in a dumpster.

Another irony: President Joe Biden routinely crusades on the need for tough gun laws like the ones that could now send his son away for a decade or more.

What does he say in court if Hunter’s lawyers demand that he testify, as they’re now threatening?

Hunter’s case for mercy revolves around claiming that he’s turned his life completely around since: He’s clean, and selling his art for big bucks.

But how stable is he, really?

He’s actually making ends meet with the assistance of a Democratic mega-donor who’s already ponied up hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay off Hunter’s back taxes.

(And the First Son still faces many more potential charges, both for other tax violations and unregistered lobbying for foreign interests.)

This has all added to Joe’s darkening electoral nightmare.

It threatens to all play out in court just as he stumps for re-election while facing mounting calls for him to step aside because of his age and senility. 

A majority of Americans now believe he was involved in his son’s business dealings and 55% say he has acted inappropriately over the investigations into Hunter.

All this after he and his lickspittles strained the tools of the government to cover up for his son, grievously undermining trust in those tools. 

Perhaps finally, this country can begin to regain trust in the rule of law as the Biden chickens come home to roost and Joe learns — years too late — that the cover-up is always worse than the crime.