Hunter Biden caved to House Republican pressure Friday and told lawmakers he will sit for a deposition behind closed doors after all.
His defense attorney, Abbe Lowell, wrote a letter Friday to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan informing lawmakers that Biden will comply with a new subpoena to sit for a deposition. (RELATED: Hunter Biden Flees Committee Hearing After Making Surprise Appearance)
READ THE LETTER:
“Consequently, the November 8 and 9, 2023, deposition subpoenas to Mr. Biden and the contempt resolutions approved by your committees on January 10, 2024, based on those subpoenas were and are legally invalid. You have not explained why you are not interested in transparency and having the American people witness the full and complete testimony of Mr. Biden at a public hearing,” Lowell’s letter concludes.
“If you issue a new proper subpoena, now that there is a duly authorized impeachment inquiry, Mr. Biden will comply for a hearing or deposition. We will accept such a subpoena on Mr. Biden’s behalf.”
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 10: Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, departs a House Oversight Committee meeting at Capitol Hill on January 10, 2024 in Washington, DC. The committee is meeting today as it considers citing him for Contempt of Congress. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise announced Friday morning the chamber will hold a floor vote next week on holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for dodging subpoenas to appear for a closed-door deposition on Dec. 13. It’s unclear if House Republicans will proceed with holding Hunter Biden in contempt in the wake of Lowell’s letter.
“For now, the House of Representatives will move forward with holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress until such time that Hunter Biden confirms a date to appear for a private deposition in accordance with his legal obligation,” Reps. Comer and Jordan said in a statement.
“While we will work to schedule a deposition date, we will not tolerate any additional stunts or delay from Hunter Biden. The American people will not tolerate, and the House will not provide, special treatment for the Biden family.”
Biden and Lowell previously offered to have him testify publicly and skip the closed-door session. Republican lawmakers rejected Biden’s proposal and told him to appear for the private session before testifying publicly. (RELATED: They’re Lying To You, Yet Again. The Reasons For A Hunter Biden Deposition Couldn’t Be Clearer)
Hunter Biden made a surprise appearance Wednesday at the House Oversight Committee’s markup hearing on a resolution and accompanying report to hold him in contempt. He sat in the crowd with Lowell and his financier, Hollywood attorney Kevin Morris, for a few minutes before dashing out when Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene began her line of questioning.
Hunter Biden FLEES committee hearing pic.twitter.com/3hZBtf1KDA
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 10, 2024
After he stormed the hearing, Hunter Biden flew back to Los Angeles, California, where he pleaded not guilty Thursday to nine federal tax related charges at an arraignment. He faces up to 17 years in prison for the tax charges.
House Republicans voted on Dec. 13 to officially authorize the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden after Hunter staged a press conference on Capitol Hill instead of attending the scheduled deposition.
The impeachment inquiry began in September without a floor vote to formalize it.
Henry Rodgers contributed to this report