House Republicans will issue a new round of subpoenas to Hunter Biden after he agreed Friday to sit for a closed-door deposition.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan wrote a letter Sunday to Abbe Lowell, Biden’s defense counsel, saying the committees are going to issue subpoenas for Biden to appear for a deposition at a later date. (RELATED: Democratic Party Donors Bought ‘Vast Majority’ Of Hunter Biden’s Art, Comer Says)
READ THE LETTER:
“The Committees welcome Mr. Biden’s newfound willingness to testify in a deposition setting under subpoena. Although the Committee’s subpoenas are lawful and remain legally enforceable, as an accommodation to Mr. Biden and at your request, we are prepared to issue subpoenas compelling Mr. Biden’s appearance at a deposition on a new date in the coming weeks,” the letter concludes.
“To be clear, the issuance of these subpoenas does not in any way suggest or imply that the Committees believe the assertions in your January 12 letter to have any merit. Our willingness to issue these subpoenas is rooted entirely in our interest in obtaining Mr. Biden’s testimony as expeditiously as possible.”
Lowell wrote a letter to Comer and Jordan Friday informing them that Biden would sit for a deposition if they issued a new round of subpoenas now that House Republicans voted to officially authorize the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
The House GOP’s impeachment inquiry began in September without a floor vote to formalize it. Comer, Jordan and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith are leading the impeachment inquiry.
Comer and Jordan initially responded to Lowell’s Friday letter with a statement reasserting their support for holding Hunter Biden in contempt of congress for dodging his scheduled deposition on Dec. 13.
🚨 Comer & Jordan Statement on Hunter Biden Deposition
“House Republicans have been resolute in demanding Hunter Biden sit for a deposition in the ongoing impeachment inquiry. While we are heartened that Hunter Biden now says he will comply with a subpoena, make no mistake:…
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) January 12, 2024
“For now, the House of Representatives will move forward with holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress until such time that Hunter Biden confirms a date to appear for a private deposition in accordance with his legal obligation,” the Republican lawmakers said in a joint statement.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise announced Friday a floor vote to hold Biden in contempt this upcoming week. Criminal contempt of congress is a federal misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $100,000 and a maximum of one year in prison. House lawmakers can send a contempt citation to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for potential prosecution.
Instead of attending the Dec. 13 deposition, Hunter Biden staged a press conference on Capitol Hill in defiance of congressional subpoenas.
Hunter: “Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not financially involved in my business, not as a practicing lawyer, not as a board member of Burisma. Not in my partnership with a Chinese private businessman. Not my investments at home nor abroad and certainly not as an… pic.twitter.com/NWgBrfm7ux
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) December 13, 2023
“Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not financially involved in my business, not as a practicing lawyer, not as a board member of Burisma. Not in my partnership with a Chinese private businessman. Not my investments at home nor abroad and certainly not as an artist,” Biden said at the press conference.
On Wednesday, he unexpectedly showed up to the House Oversight Committee’s markup hearing on holding him in contempt of congress. His appearance heightened tensions at the hearing when Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace directly confronted Biden.
He and Lowell briefly sat in the crowd next to Hunter Biden’s friend and financier, Hollywood attorney Kevin Morris, and they left the room as Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was prepared to speak.
Hunter Biden flew back to Los Angeles, California afterwards and pleaded not guilty Thursday to nine federal tax charges.