President Joe Biden’s son Hunter stirred a political frenzy last month by appearing outside the Capitol to defy a congressional subpoena.
Following this act of defiance, the House Oversight Committee was preparing Wednesday to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress.
The president’s son made a surprise appearance at Wednesday’s congressional hearing — but then stormed away after a few questions.
Outside the Capitol last month, Hunter Biden criticized the subpoena for requiring a closed-door testimony, and he demanded the chance to testify publicly. Biden and his attorneys said information from private interviews can be selectively leaked and manipulated by House Republicans and insisted that he would only testify in public.
Hunter Biden has defended his lack of compliance with the GOP-issued subpoena, and congressional Democrats have rallied to support the president’s son.
But Republicans aren’t happy.
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., insisted that Hunter Biden be quickly arrested.
“Hunter Biden, you were too afraid to show up for a deposition, and you still can’t today. I believe that Hunter Biden should be held in contempt. I believe he should be hauled off to jail right now,” Mace said.
“You are the epitome of white privilege, coming into the oversight committee, spitting into our faces, ignoring a congressional committee to be deposed. What are you afraid of? You have no balls.”
GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia called him a coward as he left during her remarks. “Apparently, you’re afraid of my words,” Greene said.
According to a viral video, one reporter even asked Hunter Biden an unrelated question about his history of drug use. “What kind of crack do you normally smoke, Mr. Biden?” the reporter said.
The only remarks Hunter Biden made to reporters was when asked why he had his father on speaker phone several times during business meetings. “If he called you, would you answer the phone?” he responded.
Take a look —
Nancy Mace at hearing where Hunter Biden made a surprise appearance: "I believe that Hunter Biden should be held completely in contempt … He should be hauled off to jail right now!" pic.twitter.com/rjptI251hE
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) January 10, 2024
Nancy Mace tells Hunter Biden he has no balls. 😳 pic.twitter.com/wzRFuHDAHM
— Big Fish (@BigFish3000) January 10, 2024
Hunter Biden walks out on Marjorie Taylor Greene pic.twitter.com/6z28xG6ly6
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 10, 2024
A reporter asked Hunter the burning question on everyone's mind…
REPORTER: " What kind of crack do you normally smoke Mr. Biden?" pic.twitter.com/zYXsCwQFSQ
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 10, 2024
Hunter Biden and his attorneys left shortly after, and his lawyers made a brief statement to reporters outside the hearing room.
Defense attorney Abbe Lowell described his client as “a private citizen” unlike the president.
“Despite this, Republicans have sought to use him as a surrogate to attack his father,” Lowell said. “And, despite their improper partisan motives, on six different occasions, since February of 2023, we have offered to work with the House committees to see what and how relevant information to any legitimate inquiry could be provided.”
On Wednesday, Committee Chairman James Comer struggled to regain control after the media frenzy. “Mr. Biden doesn’t make the rules, we make the rules,” he said.
The House Oversight and Judiciary committees will each vote on contempt resolutions that seem likely to result in the U.S. House recommending criminal charges
Meanwhile, Republicans are moving into the final stages of their impeachment inquiry into the president himself. Republicans have described the inquiry as necessary to prove the extent of Joe Biden’s involvement in his son’s business dealings.
If the committees approve the contempt resolutions as expected, they will go to the full House for consideration. And if the House votes to hold Hunter Biden in contempt, it will be up to Biden’s Department of Justice to decide whether to prosecute.
Speaker Mike Johnson gave his stamp of approval Wednesday to the contempt process, saying that the House must uphold its subpoena power.
“We have to do this. This is our role. It’s our responsibility, ”the Louisiana Republican said during a press conference. But, he added, “we’re not taking any pleasure in this.”
The contempt resolution, released by Republicans on Monday, reads, “Mr. Biden’s flagrant defiance of the Committees’ deposition subpoenas — while choosing to appear nearby on the Capitol grounds to read a prepared statement on the same matters — is contemptuous, and he must be held accountable for his unlawful actions.”
The committees’ votes Wednesday on contempt of Congress come a day before Hunter Biden is scheduled to make his first court appearance on tax charges filed by a special counsel in Los Angeles. He is facing three felony and six misdemeanor counts, including filing a false return, tax evasion, failure to file and failure to pay.
Biden’s lawyer has accused David Weiss, the prosecutor overseeing the yearslong case, of “bowing to Republican pressure” by bringing the charges.
The Associated Press contribtued to this article.