Hunter Biden: House Republicans back contempt of Congress charges
Two House of Representatives committees led by Republicans have recommended pursuing a contempt of Congress charge against Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden.
The judiciary and oversight committees have both endorsed a contempt resolution, urging a full House vote.
Republicans allege that Hunter Biden defied a subpoena related to his business dealings during the impeachment inquiry into his father. Hunter Biden unexpectedly attended one of the panel hearings, causing turmoil and aggravating Republicans.
The oversight panel had issued a subpoena for Hunter Biden to testify privately, but he insisted on a public hearing to bring transparency to the proceedings, a stance supported by his lawyer, Abbe Lowell.
Republicans argued that a private citizen shouldn’t dictate the terms of a congressional subpoena.
On the scheduled deposition day, Hunter Biden appeared at the Capitol to criticize what he deemed a “shameless” investigation and reiterated his call for a public hearing.
During the oversight committee’s hearing, he and Mr. Lowell entered, and Hunter Biden remained silently seated as lawmakers voiced their criticisms.
“You are the epitome of white privilege, coming into the oversight committee, spitting in our face, ignoring a congressional subpoena to be deposed,” said Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican.
“What are you afraid of? You have no balls,” she added. “I think that Hunter Biden should be arrested right here, right now, and go straight to jail.”
Democrats on the panel argued that Republicans, including sitting members of the House, had routinely ignored congressional subpoenas during the Trump presidency.
They also urged their counterparts to allow Mr Biden to be allowed to speak.
But oversight chairman James Comer, who struggled to keep the hearing from going off the rails, declined.
“Mr Biden doesn’t make the rules,” he said, “we make the rules.”
Less than half an hour later, Mr Biden and his entourage left the hearing room, just as right-wing Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene began to speak.
Ms Greene, who has previously displayed nude photos of Mr Biden in the House, was left fuming: “What a coward.”
As a throng of reporters trailed him, Mr Biden remained silent except to answer a question about why he had allegedly put his father on speakerphone in business meetings during Joe Biden’s vice presidency.
“If he called you, would you answer the phone?” he replied.
In a prepared statement, Mr. Lowell reiterated that his client declined to testify behind closed doors so that Republicans “could not distort, manipulate, and misuse his testimony”.
Mr. Lowell also criticized the Republican party for using Mr. Biden “as a surrogate to attack his father”.
The impeachment inquiry into President Biden centers on Republican allegations that Mr Biden and his relatives unfairly profited during his father’s vice presidency.
The White House and Mr Biden have denied the allegations.
The passage of dual contempt resolutions on Wednesday advances the measure for consideration before the full House.
Republicans currently hold a narrow two-seat margin in the chamber and it is unclear if they have the votes yet to approve the contempt measure in the full chamber.
If the House does find Mr Biden in contempt, it can then refer the matter for potential criminal prosecution by the justice department.
Mr Biden, 53, is already facing federal criminal charges for tax evasion and gun-related offenses.
He is due to plead not guilty on the tax charges in a Los Angeles court on Thursday.
