Hunter Biden made clear during a press conference Wednesday that he will only testify under his own rules and will not comply with House investigators’ lawful subpoena that compelled his testimony behind closed doors at 9:30 a.m. the same day.
Hunter Biden’s failure to appear before House investigators will likely be a factor in formalizing the House impeachment inquiry vote Wednesday evening regarding President Joe Biden’s involvement in the Biden family business.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) pointed to six cases of mounting evidence on Tuesday against Joe Biden that “cannot be ignored”:
- Biden family members and Biden business-linked entities received more than $15 million from individuals in Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Romania, and China.
- Joe Biden spoke with Hunter Biden’s business associates at least 22 times.
- Joe Biden lied about his involvement in the business.
- Joe Biden received “direct monthly payments” from Hunter Biden’s “Owasco PC” business account, which received “payments from Chinese state-linked companies and other foreign nationals and companies.”
- Investigators flagged the Justice Department’s “deviations” in the five-year investigation into Hunter Biden.
- An FBI FD-1023 form alleges Joe Biden accepted a $5 million bribe while vice president.
“I’m here today to answer at a public hearing any legitimate questions Chairman Comer and the House Oversight Committee may have for me,” Hunter Biden told reporters behind the Capitol Building. “I’m here today to make sure that the House committee’s illegitimate investigations of my family did not proceed on distortions, manipulated evidence, and lies.”
“My father was not financially involved in my business, not as a practicing lawyer, not as a board member of Burisma, not my partnership with a Chinese private businessman, not my investments at home or abroad, and certainly not as an artist,” he claimed.
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) and Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) previously threatened to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress if he did not comply with both a public and private interview.
If prosecuted and convicted for contempt of Congress, the punishment is up to a $100,000 fine and imprisonment.
“He’s been subpoenaed. We expect him to show up. They don’t get to make the rules,” Comer previously told Politico. “I would expect Congress to hold the president’s son in contempt,” he added when asked what the next step would be if Hunter Biden does not meet with investigators.
JIM JORDAN:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) December 13, 2023
"We're disappointed that [Hunter Biden] didn't show up...We'll also...look at contempt proceedings as we move forward!" pic.twitter.com/Hj5nDL7SOD
Follow Wendell Husebø on “X” @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.