On Wednesday, Hunter Biden showed up unexpectedly at Capitol Hill, going into a House committee hearing which was based on whether or not to hold him in contempt. Hunter faces a potential third criminal prosecution that could conflict with his father’s campaign for a second presidential term.
Hunter Biden and lawyer Abbe Lowell at the House Oversight meeting on Wednesday, Photo Courtesy: Wall Street Journal
Biden sat in the audience with his lawyer, Abbe Lowell, as his presence alone made Republican lawmakers address him.
Rep. Nancy Mace addressed Biden by saying, “…you are the epitome of white privilege coming into the Oversight Committee, spitting in our face, ignoring a congressional subpoena to be deposed…I think that…Hunter Biden should be arrested right here, right now and go straight to jail.”
Democrats pointed out after this remark that Republican committee leaders stated in the past they would let Hunter Biden testify in a public open hearing, even suggesting to Republicans to let him on the witness stand.
“Who wants to hear from Hunter right now, today? Anyone? Come on. Who wants to hear from Hunter…nobody over there wants to hear from the witness.” said Rep. Jared Moskowitz, with him even suggesting that the panel should vote on this idea.
Biden left a little bit after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was called on to speak. Greene commented on Biden’s departure by saying, “Excuse me, Hunter, apparently you’re afraid of my words.”
Lowell, speaking to press outside of the hearing room, stated that, “Hunter was and is a private citizen. Despite this, Republicans have sought to use him as a surrogate to attack his father.” He went on to accuse Republicans of caring “little about the truth” and attempting to “hold someone in contempt, who has offered to publicly answer all their proper questions.”
Hunter Biden outside Capitol Hill, Photo Courtesy: CNBC
Before Wednesday’s hearing, the Oversight Committee released a 19-page report which recommended he be held in contempt of Congress. Biden was subpoenaed to sit for a closed-door interview on December 13th but instead held a news conference outside the US Capitol.
The report states that “Mr. Biden’s flagrant defiance of the Committee’s deposition subpoenas – while choosing to appear nearby on the Capitol grounds to read a prepared statement on the same matters – is contemptuous, and he must be held accountable for his unlawful actions.”
As Biden arrived on Capitol Hill with his lawyer on Wednesday, he was asked by CBS News whether or not he would testify. His response was “If they let me.”
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