Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, resisted a congressional subpoena on December 13. He conducted a press briefing on Capitol Hill, expressing his willingness to testify but declined to do so in a private setting. Instead, he insisted on providing his deposition publicly, alleging that Republicans aimed to exploit his situation for political motives.
Biden accused GOP legislators of attempting to tarnish him and leveraging his struggles with addiction to harm his father. Presently, Republicans are looking into whether the president obstructed Congress when his son opted not to testify.
On December 27, Chairman James Comer (R-KY) of the House Oversight Committee and Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) of the House Judiciary Committee penned a letter to White House Counsel Edward Siskel. They requested all communications between the president and his son or his son’s legal representatives regarding the deposition. Comer and Jordan, the latter of whom has also refused a congressional subpoena, asserted that this inquiry is part of their investigation into whether President Biden should face impeachment.
The congressmen referred to a statement made by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on December 13. She informed reporters that the president was aware of what Hunter Biden intended to convey during his Capitol Hill press conference. Without providing further details, the press secretary emphasized Hunter Biden’s status as a “private citizen” and directed inquiries to his representatives.
Jordan and Comer contended that it is against the law to “influence, obstruct, or impede” Congress. They have initiated an inquiry to examine whether President Biden had a hand in influencing Hunter Biden’s choice to disregard the subpoena.
The lawmakers are seeking all communications, both incoming and outgoing, involving members of the Executive Branch concerning Hunter Biden’s deposition. Additionally, they have requested all documents and communications exchanged within the administration regarding the president’s actions.
The White House has not responded to the inquiry regarding the press secretary’s statements on December 13. Nonetheless, the administration has consistently dismissed the accusations against the president, characterizing the impeachment inquiry as a politically motivated maneuver orchestrated by the GOP.
Critics, including Democrats and at least one Republican, have censured Jordan for pursuing Hunter Biden’s failure to comply with a subpoena, given that the Ohio congressman engaged in a similar action. The Hill reported that former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), a member of the January 6th Committee, chuckled at Jordan, remarking, “I mean, the hypocrisy is mind-numbing.”
Jordan and Comer set a deadline of January 10 for the White House to meet their demands.
