President Joe Biden’s son Hunter defied a congressional subpoena on Wednesday.
Later that day, the White House admitted to have known about Hunter Biden’s plan to snub Congress and defy the subpoena.
White House press secretary Jean-Pierre admitted that the president was “familiar” with his son’s plan.
“Look, you know, the President was certainly familiar with what his son was going to say,” Jean-Pierre told reporters Wednesday. “And I think what you saw was from the heart from his son.”
For the rest of the press conference, Jean-Pierre referred reporters to Hunter Biden’s representatives… and tried to clean up her own mess.
Reporters hammered Jean-Pierre for her use of the word “familiar.”
Rob Crilly of the Daily Mail asked an especially pointed question.
“You just said the President was familiar with what his son was going to say today. Was the President involved in drafting it, discussing it? Did he offer advice? What did you mean by ‘familiar’?” Crilly asked.
“You were asked what the President — what his stance was on people who defy congressional subpoenas. In 2021, he was asked that question specifically and said that he believed the Justice Department should prosecute them. Is that his — still his position?”
Jean-Pierre doubled-down.
“I don’t have anything to add to what you have — what you just quoted me from the President,” Jean-Pierre said. “He was familiar.”
Peter Doocy of Fox News wasn’t satisfied with Jean-Pierre’s answer.
“You said that President Biden was familiar with what his son was going to say on Capitol Hill,” Doocy asked. “If I called my dad and said, ‘I am about to violate a congressional subpoena,’ he would probably say, ‘Son, you shouldn’t do that.’ Was there any attempt by President Biden to talk Hunter out of it today?”
Jean-Pierre joked, “You’re going to call your dad ‘Steve’?”
Doocy, off guard, said, “I call him ‘Dad’ usually.”
Take a look —
After Crilly’s question, Zeke Miller of the Associated Press followed suit.
“The President spent a lot time in Congress, been around Washington a while. Does he believe that congressional subpoenas are something that individual citizens can ignore?” Miller asked.
“He is a former senator. He has issued subpoenas in his career. Does he believe that subpoenas… have to be complied with?”
Jean-Pierre referred Miller to the White House’s lawyers.
“I’m just going to have you speak to the White House Counsel on this,” Jean-Pierre said. “I’m just not going to speak to that.”
The Horn editorial team