Hunter Biden Calls James Comer’s Bluff. Hunter will agree to testify but only in a public hearing for everyone to see. But Comer and Jim Jordan don’t want that. Story …
W ASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden offered Tuesday to testify publicly before Congress, striking a defiant note in response to a subpoena from Republicans and setting up a potential high-stakes face-off even as a separate special counsel probe unfolds and his father, President Joe Biden, campaigns for reelection.
The Democratic president’s son slammed the subpoena’s request for closed-door testimony, saying it can be manipulated. But Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, stood firm, saying Republicans expect “full cooperation” with their original demand for a deposition.
Hunter Biden's lawyer called the inquiry a “fishing expedition," a response in line with the more forceful legal approach he's taken in recent months as congressional Republicans pursue an impeachment inquiry seeking to tie his father to his business dealings.
The early-November subpoenas to Hunter Biden and others from Comer were the inquiry's most aggressive step yet, testing the reach of congressional oversight powers.
Republicans have so far failed to uncover evidence directly implicating President Biden in any wrongdoing. But questions have arisen about the ethics surrounding the Biden family’s international business, and lawmakers insist their evidence paints a troubling picture of “influence peddling” in their business dealings, particularly with clients overseas.
Comer said Tuesday that the president’s son could testify publicly in the future, but he expects him to sit for a deposition on Dec. 13 as outlined in the subpoena.
“Hunter Biden is trying to play by his own rules instead of following the rules required of everyone else. That won’t stand with House Republicans,” he said. Rep. Jim Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, also pressed the deposition date followed by a public hearing — a timetable that would take any hearing closer to the 2024 election and heighten the political stakes for President Biden.
Hunter Biden, for his part, said his business dealings are legitimate and accused Republicans of seeking to contort his past struggles with addiction. His attorney Abbe Lowell said in Tuesday's letter that his client had previously offered to speak with the committee without a response. He's willing to appear publicly rather than behind closed doors because those sessions can be selectively leaked and used to manipulate the facts, Lowell said.
“If, as you claim, your efforts are important and involve issues that Americans should know about, then let the light shine on these proceedings,” Lowell wrote.
Hunter Biden offered to appear on Dec. 13, the date named in the subpoena, or another day next month. His uncle James Biden has also been subpoenaed, as well as former business associate Rob Walker. The subpoenas are bitterly opposed by Democrats, and the White House called for the “irresponsible” subpoenas to be withdrawn .
Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, blasted the GOP rejection of Hunter Biden's offer to testify publicly on Dec. 13, saying, “What the Republicans fear most is sunlight and the truth."
Hunter Biden's response comes as he pushes back against his detractors in court, pursuing a flurry of lawsuits against Republican allies of former President Donald Trump who have traded and passed around private data from a laptop that purportedly belonged to him.
President Biden, for his part, has had little to say about his son’s legal woes beyond that Hunter did nothing wrong and he loves his son. The White House strategy has generally been to keep the elder Biden focused on governing and voters focused on his policy achievements.
That could prove more difficult as Hunter Biden continues to fight both the congressional probe and a criminal case into the next year, and there are indications it’s politically fraught territory for the president.
An October poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 35% of U.S. adults believe Joe Biden personally has done something illegal with regard to the business dealings of his son. An additional 33% say the president acted unethically but did not violate the law. Just 30% say Joe Biden did nothing wrong.
Hunter Biden is charged with three firearms felonies related to the 2018 purchase of a gun during a period he has acknowledged being addicted to drugs. The case was filed after an expected plea deal on tax evasion and gun charges imploded during a July hearing.
No new tax charges have been filed, but the Justice Department special counsel overseeing the long-running investigation has indicated they are possible in California, where he now lives.
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Associated Press writer Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.
The Democratic president’s son slammed the subpoena’s request for closed-door testimony, saying it can be manipulated. But Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, stood firm, saying Republicans expect “full cooperation” with their original demand for a deposition.
The clown car committee wants a closed door testimony so they can try and mitigate the damage if Hunter Biden's testimony blows up in their faces.
And 'everybody' knows that those House GOPers would not submit to a subpoena or disposition when their time came to do so. Now they want Biden's son to GASLIGHT himself for their benefit. I would tell them to eat Sh** and bark at the moon! Or to be nicer: "Pound sand!"
The clown car committee wants a closed door testimony so they can try and mitigate the damage if Hunter Biden's testimony blows up in their faces.
It's not even that, as long as it is closed door they can announce anything they want about it. They are not limited to reporting the facts of the testimony.
And, without a doubt or moment's hesitation Comer and his "team" would run over select leaked statements from the Hunter Biden hearing to Fox News. The station will be waiting for it. . .with bated breath! Ready and willing to get the misinformation out to its audience of millions—just in time to start off 2024!
Biden and his lawyers are right to question the motives of the MAGA GOP House. Do not testify (like Trump and MAGA members) until you can have some 'safeguards' for yourself and your statements' integrity from the committee. Let them eat silence if they won't agree to this one simple term!
Yes. At the least, Biden will testify if they will indulge him a simple request of doing so publicly. Otherwise he would be a fool (barring no-way out)to give Comer what he wants: An opportunity to make 'sport' of the president's son with soundbites on Fox News for a MAGA/conservative audience. Biden better not take their offer for it is not good for him (or his dad)!
Let us see: Steve Bannon wanted to do the same thing, but then Chairman Raskin said NO, we will follow the proper order of getting a private deposition prior to any open hearing. Then Biden's DOJ in a rare move prosecuted both Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro for not complying with House Subpoenas. I say that either the Biden DOJ follow its own policy with Hunter Biden or the American people should ignore and nullify all Trump indictments.
I say that either the Biden DOJ follow its own policy with Hunter Biden or the American people should ignore and nullify all Trump indictments.
What I will say it this is a perfect example (if it occurred as you) of the differences in people, situation, perspective, and degrees. But if you insist, then perform another 'rare' move and prosecute Hunter Biden for failure to comply with a subpoena/s. Let's see how far it gets.
And it is a non-sequitar to 'toss' Trump's sorry self into this as he does not have anything to do with Hunter Biden. But we see you once again tossing Trump your 'best' lifeline even if it is a weak one. Maybe I am confusing you with 'the other guy' who 'SAY' they will not vote for Trump in 2024, but always manages to keep Trump in the forefront of your considerations.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The clown car committee wants a closed door testimony so they can try and mitigate the damage if Hunter Biden's testimony blows up in their faces.
And 'everybody' knows that those House GOPers would not submit to a subpoena or disposition when their time came to do so. Now they want Biden's son to GASLIGHT himself for their benefit. I would tell them to eat Sh** and bark at the moon! Or to be nicer: "Pound sand!"
It's not even that, as long as it is closed door they can announce anything they want about it. They are not limited to reporting the facts of the testimony.
And, without a doubt or moment's hesitation Comer and his "team" would run over select leaked statements from the Hunter Biden hearing to Fox News. The station will be waiting for it. . .with bated breath! Ready and willing to get the misinformation out to its audience of millions—just in time to start off 2024!
Select "leaked, "out of context", statements to FoxNews.
Misinformation—exactly.
Biden and his lawyers are right to question the motives of the MAGA GOP House. Do not testify (like Trump and MAGA members) until you can have some 'safeguards' for yourself and your statements' integrity from the committee. Let them eat silence if they won't agree to this one simple term!
Hunter said, "I'll testify in public"!
Comer said, "No No No"...
Required of everyone else except Jim Jordan, of course.
Yes. At the least, Biden will testify if they will indulge him a simple request of doing so publicly. Otherwise he would be a fool (barring no-way out) to give Comer what he wants: An opportunity to make 'sport' of the president's son with soundbites on Fox News for a MAGA/conservative audience. Biden better not take their offer for it is not good for him (or his dad)!
Let us see: Steve Bannon wanted to do the same thing, but then Chairman Raskin said NO, we will follow the proper order of getting a private deposition prior to any open hearing. Then Biden's DOJ in a rare move prosecuted both Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro for not complying with House Subpoenas. I say that either the Biden DOJ follow its own policy with Hunter Biden or the American people should ignore and nullify all Trump indictments.
We must have one rule for everyone.
What I will say it this is a perfect example (if it occurred as you) of the differences in people, situation, perspective, and degrees. But if you insist, then perform another 'rare' move and prosecute Hunter Biden for failure to comply with a subpoena/s. Let's see how far it gets.
And it is a non-sequitar to 'toss' Trump's sorry self into this as he does not have anything to do with Hunter Biden. But we see you once again tossing Trump your 'best' lifeline even if it is a weak one. Maybe I am confusing you with 'the other guy' who 'SAY' they will not vote for Trump in 2024, but always manages to keep Trump in the forefront of your considerations.