In a letter to the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees, Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, declared that if a new subpoena is issued under a “duly authorized impeachment inquiry,” Hunter Biden “will comply for a hearing or deposition.” This response follows the formal recommendation of contempt of Congress for Hunter Biden by the committees after he defied the initial congressional subpoenas related to the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden. Lowell argued that the initial subpoenas were “legally invalid” as they were issued before the full House of Representatives voted to formalize the impeachment inquiry.
Lowell’s letter anticipates a House Rules Committee meeting to prepare a contempt of Congress resolution scheduled for Tuesday. A full House vote on the matter could occur as early as Wednesday. Lowell suggested a hybrid process for a public deposition or hearing with alternating rounds of questions for Republicans and Democrats, similar to a closed-door deposition.
Reacting to Lowell’s offer, House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, a Democrat, accused Hunter Biden of giving Republicans what they demanded and called for ending the “absurd and wasteful contempt proceeding.” Hunter Biden had previously offered to testify publicly, but his request was rejected by committee chairs James Comer and Jim Jordan, who emphasized equal treatment for all witnesses.
Hunter Biden, who recently pleaded not guilty to federal tax charges, defied the initial subpoenas and delivered a public statement outside the Capitol. Comer deemed Hunter Biden’s refusal to comply with the subpoenas a “criminal act” and “contempt of Congress,” emphasizing equal treatment under the law for all Americans.
The situation raises questions about the involvement of President Biden in his son’s defiance of the subpoena, with House Republicans expanding their investigation last month to explore whether such involvement could constitute an impeachable offense. The White House, however, declined to comment on whether it was informed in advance about Hunter Biden’s attendance at the House Oversight’s markup session. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized Hunter Biden’s status as a private citizen and referred additional questions to Hunter Biden’s attorneys.
