A week after Hunter Biden testified in closed-door proceedings before the House Oversight and Judiciary committees, Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer invited the president’s son to return to the Capitol later this month, thereby respecting Comer’s pledge to have him testify publicly in the next phase of his impeachment inquiry. in President Joe Biden.
On Wednesday, Comer called Hunter Biden to appear for a public hearing on March 20 alongside three of his former associates who have expressed varying degrees of disdain for the first family of recent closed-door depositions before the committee.
Referring to Hunter Biden’s overseas business activities, Comer said in a statement Wednesday: “During our deposition and interview phase of the investigation, Hunter Biden confirmed evidence of Joe’s involvement Biden, but his testimony conflicts with the testimony of other witnesses.”
In his closed-door deposition last week, Hunter Biden acknowledged making mistakes in his personal and professional life and spoke openly about his years of addiction, but vehemently and repeatedly denied that his father was involved in his professional life.
Comer added that “given the president’s son’s repeated calls for a public hearing,” he “fully expects” him to attend.
A representative for Hunter Biden’s legal team told ABC News on Wednesday that they “received Rep. Comer’s letter late today and will respond in writing.” Before his appearance behind closed doors, the young Biden had expressed a wish testify in public.
Comer’s overture comes at a time of turmoil for Republicans as their policies falter indictment investigation The president faces new criticism. After more than a year of investigation, Comer and his colleagues have yet to uncover solid evidence to support claims that the president behaved inappropriately or illegally to benefit his family’s business operations.
Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, listens as his attorney makes a statement to the press following closed-door testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the House Judiciary Committee in the O’Neill House office building, February 28. , 2024, in Washington, D.C.
Samuel Corum/Getty Images, FILE
The Republicans also suffered an embarrassing setback with the indictment against former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, after prosecutors claimed his corruption allegation against Joe and Hunter Biden, which served as the central tenet of House Republicans’ allegations of impropriety, was a lie.
As part of the committee’s planned March 20 hearing, which Comer dubbed “Influence Peddling: Examining Joe Biden’s Abuses of Public Office,” Republicans have invited Devon Archer, Jason Galanis and Tony Bobulinski, former associates of Hunter Biden, each of whom has since become a critic of Hunter Biden and the Biden family.
Matthew Schwartz, an attorney for Archer — who is about to report to prison for defrauding a Native American tribe — said, “If and when committee officials contact Mr. Archer, we will be happy to discuss the parameters of his file. continued cooperation. »
Mark Paoletta, an attorney for Galanis — who is currently serving a 14-year prison sentence in Alabama for securities fraud — said his client “is prepared to testify at this hearing to provide his first-hand knowledge of helping the then-Vice President Joe Biden.” his son Hunter Biden in his business dealings.
A representative for Bobulinski did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
