President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, staged a press conference on the doorstep of Congress Wednesday to condemn a House impeachment inquiry into his father and defy a subpoena demanding he testify in a closed-door deposition.
Republicans warned he may now face contempt of Congress charges.
“There is no evidence to support the allegations that my father was financially involved in my business because it did not happen,” Hunter Biden said.
He was scheduled to answer questions in a private hearing room in the House, but instead appeared before a podium outside of the Senate to plead his case before reporters and cameras. He left without taking questions from reporters, or investigators.
House Republicans waited for him in the hearing room and then spoke to reporters after he failed to show up, warning that the president’s son may now be found in contempt of Congress.
“This is an investigation about public corruption at the highest levels of our government,” said House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer, Kentucky Republican. “We have specific questions for the president’s son. He does not get to dictate the terms of his subpoena. What he did today is unacceptable.”
The House later Wednesday is expected to approve a formal impeachment inquiry into President Biden’s involvement in his son’s business deals.
House investigators said the vote would add more strength to their subpoena for Hunter Biden’s testimony and will further compel him to show up.
“If he doesn’t, we are going to move forward with contempt proceedings,” Mr. Jordan said.
A defiant Hunter Biden unloaded on the GOP investigation during his press conference on the lawn outside of the Senate.
“For six years, I have been the target of the unrelenting Trump attack machine shouting, ‘Where’s Hunter?’ Well here’s my answer. I am here,” he said.
He renewed his offer, already rejected by House investigators, to appear at a public hearing instead of the closed-door deposition.
“I am here to testify at a public hearing today to answer any of the committee’s legitimate questions at a public hearing,” he said. “What are they afraid of? I’m here. I am ready.”
The president’s son spoke for several minutes, condemning the attacks on Mr. Biden and on his own character and accusing the GOP of impugning his character, invading his privacy and attacking his wife, children, family and friends.
“They have ridiculed my struggle with addiction, they belittled my recovery, and they have tried to dehumanize me, all to embarrass and damage my father who has devoted his entire public life to service,” he said.
House investigators have been conducting an informal impeachment probe of the president for several weeks. It has yielded bank records and witness testimony that, Republicans believe, show Mr. Biden’s involvement in the lucrative deals cut by his son and other relatives.
Hunter Biden could have shown up for the deposition and declined to answer questions under his constitutional right protecting him from self-incrimination.
The president’s son was charged in federal court in California last week with tax evasion and filing false tax returns between 2016 and 2020.
The nine counts against him come with a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison and he could face additional charges. Special counsel David Weiss, who has been in charge of the case, said the investigation remains open.
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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