Washington- Republican leaders of the House Oversight and Judiciary committees on Wednesday asked the White House to provide information on President Biden’s alleged involvement in his son Hunter Biden’s decision. not to comply with a congressional subpoena for a deposition, expanding his impeachment investigation into the president.
In a letter to White House Counsel Edward Siskel, Representatives James Comer and Jim Jordan requested documents and communications between White House staff from the Executive Office of the President and Hunter Biden or his attorneys regarding his planned deposition, which was supposed to take place on December 13.
But Hunter Biden defied the Oversight Committee’s subpoena for a closed-door interview with lawmakers, appearing briefly outside the U.S. Capitol to reiterate that he would only answer questions in a public setting.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters later in the day that the president was “familiar with” what his son was going to say in his statement.
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“In light of Ms. Jean-Pierre’s statement, we are compelled to examine the president’s involvement in his son’s plan to defy committee subpoenas,” said Comer, who heads the committee’s oversight, and Jordan, chairman of the Judiciary Committee. said in their letter to Siskel.
They argued that Jean-Pierre’s remark suggests that Mr. Biden “had some advanced knowledge” that Hunter Biden would refuse to comply with the subpoena.
Republicans have set a January 10 deadline for the White House to provide documents regarding Hunter Biden’s deposition. They are also seeking documents from staff in the Executive Office of the President regarding a comment Mr. Biden made on Dec. 6 denying he interacted with his son and brother’s foreign business associates.
Comer and Jordan said the president’s “advanced awareness” that his son would not answer lawmakers’ questions behind closed doors “raises a troubling new question that we must examine: whether the president corruptly sought to influence or obstruct the operation of the committees by preventing, discouraging, or dissuading his son from complying with committee subpoenas.
“Such conduct could constitute an impeachable offense,” they wrote.
Beyond Jean-Pierre’s comment, it is unclear how much Mr. Biden knew about his son’s plan not to appear for the deposition. Hunter Biden told reporters Dec. 13 that he would answer “all legitimate questions” from Comer and members of the oversight committee in a public hearing, and accused Republican leaders of the three committees leading the investigation of impeachment for “distorting the facts.”
Republicans have been investigating Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings for nearly a year and say Mr. Biden enriched himself through his son and brother’s overseas work and bribes. wine accepted. They produced no evidence of wrongdoing by the president or that he benefited financially from the family’s businesses.
However, then-Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy announced in September that he would launch a formal impeachment investigation became president, and the House Republican majority voted earlier this month to formalize the investigation.
Comer and Jordan said they would pursue proceedings to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for defying the Republicans’ subpoena.
