Hunter Defies Congress, A Move Joe Said Should Be Prosecuted

Hunter Biden showed up at the Capitol on Wednesday, but it wasn’t to answer his subpoena from Congress. Instead, the crown prince of the Biden Family held an impromptu press conference to explain why he held contempt for congressional Republicans and to say why he doesn’t think the law applies to him. 

BREAKING: Hunter Biden holds unprecedented press conference outside the Capitol, blasts Republicans, says he's not testifying in secret, he wants the whole world to hear him in a public testimony.

Says, "Let me state as clearly as I can; my father was not financially involved… pic.twitter.com/5me2JL8HwO

— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) December 13, 2023

The younger Biden arrived for the press conference Wednesday morning and briefly spoke to reporters before leaving the site inside a limousine. At his press conference, Hunter Biden criticized his political opponents and said his father, President Biden, was not involved with his foreign business dealings, writes The Daily Caller.

“Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not financially involved in my business, not as a practicing lawyer, not as a board member of Burisma. Not in my partnership with a Chinese private businessman. Not my investments at home nor abroad and certainly not as an artist,” Biden stated.

“During my battle with addiction, my parents were there for me. They literally saved my life,” Biden added. He admitted to being “irresponsible” with his finances during his period of addiction.

“I am here to testify at a public hearing today to answer any of the committee’s legitimate questions,” Biden said. “What are they afraid of? I’m here, I’m ready,” Biden concluded.

The comment that stood out to most watching Hunter’s stunt involved Hunter’s apparent admission that his father was involved in his business, just not “financially.”

The President was aware his son was going to violate a congressional subpoena? Seems newsy and relevant. https://t.co/h0SIPCJQPd

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) December 13, 2023

The comments seemed so damning that The New York Times appeared to edit them out of their report about Hunter’s press conference. 

Hunter Biden’s refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena means that he will likely be facing a contempt of Congress. CNN reported that “the Republican chairman behind the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden said Wednesday they will start contempt of Congress proceedings against Hunter Biden for not participating in his closed-door deposition on Wednesday, after he demanded to testify publicly.

‘Hunter Biden today defied lawful subpoenas and we will now initiate contempt of Congress proceedings,’ said House Oversight Chair James Comer and House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan in a joint statement. ‘We will not provide special treatment because his last name is Biden.’

Holding an individual in criminal contempt of Congress for evading a subpoena requires a specific process. The Oversight and Judiciary panels will have to hold another meeting for committee members to vote on the contempt resolution. Then, the contempt report would head to the House floor for a vote.

If the full House votes to hold the president’s son in criminal contempt of Congress, a referral would be made to the Department of Justice, which would then have to decide whether to prosecute.”

That’s where things may get tricky for Merrick Garland, who’s already allegedly on thin ice with the White House for not squashing Hunter’s many federal felony charges.

For his part, Joe Biden has been clear on the topic. He believes his son’s refusal to respond to a subpoena from Congress should be prosecuted, at least when it was his political enemies who refused. 

In 2021, the January 6 Committee voted to hold former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress for his refusal to testify before the committee. In 2022, Bannon was convicted and sentenced to serve four months in federal prison. 

In 2021, when asked about whether or not those who defy congressional subpoenas should be prosecuted, Joe Biden answer “I do, yes.” 

This is so bad. @nytimes doctored what Hunter said today, leaving out the key word. Wow.

NYT: “Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not involved in my business.”

Hunter: “Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not *financially* involved in my business.” pic.twitter.com/cDQEnShr6n

— Hans Mahncke (@HansMahncke) December 13, 2023

Hunter’s entire stunt was made possible by Eric Swalwell, a congressman from California, who reserved the space on Capitol grounds on behalf of the president’s son. A move that makes complete sense when you consider that, like Hunter, Swalwell also has deep connections to China. The congressman was stripped of his spot on the House Intelligence Committee after he allegedly had a sexual relationship with a Chinese spy.

Hunter has said that he will comply with the congressional subpoena so long as he can make a public spectacle rather than be asked pertinent questions behind closed doors. He is under federal indictment and faces accusations of tax crimes related to his overseas business interests with Ukraine and China. 

“This is about public corruption at the highest levels,” Representative James R. Comer, Republican of Kentucky and the chairman of the Oversight Committee, said. Comer called Hunter Biden’s refusal to testify in private “unacceptable,” adding that “the president’s son does not get to set the rules,” wrote The New York Times.

Oddly, Democrats who just this past March raced to microphones to insist that “no one is above the law” had very little to say about the situation.

[Read More: Biden Move Called ‘Disgraceful]