Republicans are preparing to launch contempt proceedings against President Joe Biden’s son after he defied a subpoena to testify behind closed doors.
“Hunter Biden today defied lawful subpoenas and we will now initiate contempt of Congress proceedings,” Reps. James Comer (R-Ky.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said in a joint statement on Dec. 13. “We will not provide special treatment because his last name is Biden.”
Mr. Biden, 53, appeared outside the U.S. Capitol earlier on Dec. 13 but said he would only testify in public, defying a subpoena.
“I’m here today to answer at a public hearing any legitimate questions Chairman Comer and the House Oversight Committee may have for me,” Mr. Biden said.
Mr. Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, recently subpoenaed Mr. Biden as part of the House probe of President Biden.
The subpoena was for an appearance in private.
Mr. Biden and his lawyers have repeatedly said he would only answer questions in public.
Mr. Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, had suggested that Mr. Biden would have another opportunity to appear after the House votes on an impeachment inquiry resolution, but he and Mr. Comer made clear in the new statement that they'll initiate contempt proceedings, which could result in Mr. Biden being held in contempt of Congress.
Several officials who served in the Trump administration have been held in contempt for defying subpoenas. Contempt brings possible jail time.
“We will depose witnesses, gather evidence, establish a thorough record, and present articles of impeachment only if the evidentiary record dictates such action,” he said. “We understand that to begin to rebuild Americans’ trust in the Congress, we owe it to the people to undertake this process methodically and transparently.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the ranking Democratic member on the House Oversight Committee, defended Mr. Biden’s choice.
Republicans “cannot take yes for an answer,” he told reporters. He said Republicans should have let Mr. Biden answer questions in public.
Democrats say a public hearing would ensure transparency and help people understand the nature of the investigation, which they say is unwarranted.
Republicans say speaking to Mr. Biden will help them as they investigate President Biden for possible malfeasance when he was vice president and the time between when he left office and when he became president. They’ve said they'll make public a transcript after the interview.
Members have obtained bank records showing that President Biden received money from Owasco P.C., Mr. Biden’s company. Mr. Biden’s lawyer said the payments were for a truck. Testimony to the House has also put President Biden at dinners with his son’s business partners, including Russian individuals, while he was vice president. The White House has said that President Biden wasn’t involved with his son’s business.
“There’s no evidence to support the allegations that my father was financially involved in my business because it did not happen,” Mr. Biden said on Dec. 13.
He said Republicans have misrepresented the evidence that they’ve obtained.
Mr. Jordan noted that the qualifier in Mr. Biden’s statement was the word “financially.”
“That means he was involved. I think that’s how anybody with common sense would read it,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons we want to talk to Hunter Biden.”
Mr. Comer said the 10-month probe has uncovered a lot of evidence and that the panel formed specific questions for Mr. Biden to answer as they advance the investigation.
The probe is “about public corruption at the highest levels of our government,” he said.
Mr. Biden is facing tax evasion charges in California, where he has lived, and gun charges in Delaware, where he bought a gun despite being a drug addict in violation of federal law. He said on Dec. 13 that he has “made mistakes” in his life and “wasted opportunities and privileges” he was afforded but that he’s “making amends.”
While his father was vice president, Mr. Biden made millions in business deals in Ukraine, China, and other countries.
The House is poised to formalize the investigation in a Dec. 13 vote. A simple majority is required to approve the impeachment inquiry resolution.
Republicans have subpoenaed or asked a number of Mr. Biden’s former associates to answer questions, including Eric Schwerin, who exchanged emails with President Biden in the past, and Tony Bobulinski, who was involved with the family’s business ventures. One subpoena went to Jim Biden, the president’s brother.
Mr. Jordan said “there’s a much better chance” of getting testimony from U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) officials who were involved in the federal probe of Mr. Biden if the resolution is approved.
Most Republicans have signaled support for the inquiry while most Democrats oppose it.
