House Republicans threaten to hold Hunter Biden in contempt over impeachment testimony demand
House Republicans Respond to Hunter Biden’s Impeachment Testimony Demand by Threatening to Hold Him in Contempt
Could Hunter Biden find himself on the receiving end of another criminal court case — at the request of Congress?
The troubled son of President Joe Biden is on the radar of House Republicans — and not in a good way.
Reps. James Comer of Kentucky and Jim Jordan of Ohio threatened to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress in a Wednesday letter addressed to his attorney, Abbe Lowell.
Comer is chairman of the House Oversight Committee, while Jordan heads the House Judiciary Committee.
Lowell has wrangled with the House Oversight Committee over the nature of Hunter’s potential testimony in the corruption investigation of the Biden family.
The attorney has sought an open hearing for the testimony, whereas the committee has sought a closed-door deposition with a public hearing later, according to The Messenger.
Lowell asserted in a letter last month that House Republicans would selectively release statements from Biden should he speak privately.
“[Biden] is making this choice because the Committee has demonstrated time and again it uses closed-door sessions to manipulate, even distort, the facts and misinform the American public — a hearing would ensure transparency and truth in these proceedings,” he wrote, according to the Washington Examiner.
Hunter Biden attorney: “Our client will get right to it by agreeing to answer any pertinent and relevant question you or your colleagues might have, but — rather than subscribing to your cloaked, one-sided process — he will appear at a public…hearing” https://t.co/YltcDOLBKk pic.twitter.com/1Pp8MdEfr4
— Matt Viser (@mviser) November 28, 2023
Comer and Jordan aren’t having it.
The committee chairmen asserted Biden doesn’t have a choice as to the nature of his testimony.
“Contrary to the assertions in your letter, there is no ‘choice’ for Mr. Biden to make; the subpoenas compel him to appear for a deposition on December 13,” the Republicans told Lowell in the Wednesday letter.
“If Mr. Biden does not appear for the deposition on December 13, 2023, the Committees will initiate contempt of Congress proceedings,” they wrote.
BREAKING
Hunter Biden must appear for his deposition on December 13, 2023.
Chairmen James Comer and Jim Jordan will initiate CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS PROCEEDINGS if Hunter Biden does not appear.@RepJamesComer@Jim_Jordan pic.twitter.com/bAPlEkx13q
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) December 6, 2023
Securing criminal convictions for public figures who decline to respond to a congressional subpoena has historically proved difficult.
However, former Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon was convicted of the federal offense and sentenced to four years in prison last year, according to The New York Times. He has appealed.
