The House Oversight Committee and the House Judiciary Committee have both issued resolutions endorsing President Joe Biden’s son Hunter for prosecution, marking a momentous development in the legislative branch. Hunter Biden defied a congressional subpoena as part of the ongoing House investigation into President Biden’s impeachment, which prompted this action. The resolutions will now be put to a full House floor vote, which is anticipated to happen soon.
The resolution was approved by the House Judiciary Committee 23–14 and the House Oversight Committee 25–21. The House Rules Committee will next examine both motions. At this point, it’s unclear if the resolutions from the various committees would be taken up one at a time for a contempt of Congress vote, or if they will be discussed individually on the floor. According to a person with knowledge of the matter, a full House floor vote might take place as early as next week.
Jaime Raskin, the Democratic member of the House Oversight Committee and ranking member, denounced the committee’s activities, calling them “unprecedented” and unfairly singling out a private citizen who is eager to supply the committee with requested material.
Hunter Biden unexpectedly showed up with his attorneys, Abbe Lowell and Kevin Morris, at the House Oversight Committee markup session. He offered to testify in public and was subpoenaed for a deposition on December 13, but the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, James Comer (R-Ky.), and the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), turned down his request. They highlighted the significance of treating all witnesses equally and cited other witnesses who had complied with their subpoenas for interviews and depositions. Hunter Biden’s deposition transcript will be made public, according to Comer and Jordan’s commitment.
Instead of responding to the subpoena, Hunter Biden made a public statement outside the Capitol refuting his father’s financial interest in his company. Comer criticized Hunter Biden’s conduct and supported a recommendation for prosecution, saying, “Hunter Biden’s willful refusal to comply with the committees’ subpoenas is a criminal act.”
Hunter Biden was asked to respond to questions by Democratic members during the markup session, but the Republicans turned down their request. Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) offered his thoughts on the Republicans’ seeming lack of interest in listening to Hunter Biden at that particular time.
Before the resolution vote, Hunter Biden and his legal representatives departed the room. Given Hunter Biden’s readiness to “publicly answer all their proper questions,” Lowell questioned the idea to contemplate a contempt of Congress motion as “unprecedented.”
When questioned about Hunter Biden’s presence at the markup session, the White House remained firm in its position that he is an individual citizen free to make his own choices. Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary for the White House, declined to comment on whether the administration was aware of Hunter Biden’s presence in advance and instead forwarded any additional questions to his legal counsel.
Comer and Jordan have expanded their inquiry to look at President Biden’s possible complicity in his son’s choice to disregard the subpoena for depositions, raising the possibility that this could be an impeachable offense.