The Republican-led House Oversight and Judiciary committees on Wednesday are seeking any communications between the White House and lawyers for Hunter Biden on efforts to impeach the president son as part of their indictment investigation.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, made the request in a letter to Edward Siskel, assistant to the president and White House counsel, obtained by NBC News. The GOP chairmen said they were looking into whether the president was involved in his son’s decision not to comply with a congressional subpoena.
The letter requests all “documents and communications sent or received by employees of the Executive Office of the President regarding the deposition of Hunter Biden,” as well as all records “sent or received by employees of the Executive Office of the President regarding the deposition of the President Biden.” statement regarding his family’s business associates on December 6, 2023.”
Republican lawmakers said they did not know whether such communications existed.
“In light of an official statement from the White House that President Biden knew in advance that his son, Hunter Biden, would knowingly defy two congressional subpoenas, we are obligated to review, as part of our impeachment inquiry, whether the president engaged in a conspiracy. to obstruct a congressional proceeding,” Comer and Jordan wrote.
“The President’s awareness that Mr. Biden would defy committee subpoenas raises a troubling new question that we must examine: whether the President corruptly sought to influence or obstruct the committees by preventing , by discouraging or dissuading his mandate. sons to comply with committee subpoenas. Such conduct could constitute an impeachable offense,” they added.
The White House declined to comment. The offices of Father Lowell and Kevin Morris, attorneys for Hunter Biden, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Comer and Jordan specifically referenced a statement made during a White House press briefing on Dec. 13 in response to a question about Hunter Biden’s statement on the day he was scheduled to appear for a closed-door deposition. Instead of participating in the deposition, as The Republicans had askedthe president’s son spoke to journalists during a press conference in front of the Capitolreiterating his offer to testify at a public hearing.
“I am here today to ensure that the House committee’s illegitimate investigations into my family are not based on distortions, manipulated evidence and lies. And I am here today to acknowledge that I have made mistakes in my life and wasted opportunities and privileges afforded to me,” Hunter Biden said, reading from a prepared statement. “For this I am responsible, for this I am responsible and for this I make amends.”
At the Dec. 13 press briefing, a reporter asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, “Did (President Joe Biden) spend time looking at what his son had to say in front of the Capitol?
Jean-Pierre emphasized that Hunter Biden is a private citizen and referred reporters to his representatives, adding that “the president certainly knew what his son was going to say.”
“And I think what you saw came from his son’s heart,” she said. “And you heard – you heard me say this; you heard the president say this: When it comes to the president and “The first lady, they’re proud that he’s continuing to rebuild his life. They’re proud of their son.”
After Hunter Biden defied the closed-door deposition request, Comer and Jordan said Republicans would do so. throw contempt of Congress. The House is not expected to return to session until the second week of January.
House Republicans last week published records showing that the president exchanged emails with his son’s associate 54 times while he was vice president, with some of the messages sent around the time he was traveling in Ukraine while his son was working for a gas company Ukrainian. Records do not include email content. NBC News has not independently reviewed the posts.
Hunter Biden faces a series of legal problems. Federal prosecutors charged him with nine tax-related counts this month, including three counts. This happened after he was indicted in September on federal charges possession of a firearm while using drugs.
Comer has accused Hunter Biden and other members of the Biden family of engaging in “shady business practices” but has yet to provide concrete evidence of wrongdoing or influence peddling by the president .
