Hunter Biden dodges House deposition but shows up in DC as GOP threatens contempt vote

Hunter Biden showed up in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, but not for his scheduled deposition with the House Oversight Committee probing his father.

Instead, he delivered a rare public statement outside the Capitol, calling the House Republicans investigating his business dealings guilty of lies and distortions meant to undermine his father’s presidency.

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“I’m here today to acknowledge that I’ve made mistakes in my life,” he said, flanked by his lawyer and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), “but I’m also here today to correct how the MAGA Right has portrayed me for their political purposes.”

“For six years, I’ve been the target of the unrelenting Trump attack machine shouting, where’s Hunter?” he added. “Here’s my answer, I’m right here.”

Hunter Biden had agreed to appear for public testimony, but House Republicans wanted him to meet with them in private first. His refusal to sit down for that private deposition tees up a possible contempt vote by the GOP-led House.

The committee subpoenaed Hunter Biden as part of the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. House Republicans believe Hunter Biden is a key witness as they probe whether the elder Biden abused his power during his time as vice president.

The inquiry is looking into three main things, all of which relate to Hunter Biden: whether President Biden improperly used his position of power to enrich himself and his family, whether he used his influence to pressure the Department of Justice to help his son avoid criminal charges, and how involved he was in his family’s foreign business dealings.

Hunter Biden faces federal tax evasion charges as well as a separate gun charge by special counsel David Weiss.

House Republicans are also focusing on an allegation raised in an FBI tip sheet that says Biden, along with his son, took bribes from Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company at which Hunter was a board member, to pressure the Ukrainian government to fire a prosecutor.

Up until Wednesday morning, House impeachment leaders did not know whether Hunter Biden would show up for the scheduled meeting, adding an element of suspense on the same day the House is expected to vote on authorizing its impeachment inquiry into the president.

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The younger Biden had offered to appear in public for a congressional hearing but had refused the private deposition, arguing that could give way to selective leaks. Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who chairs the House Oversight Committee, insisted the first son appear first for the closed-door disposition, where committee lawyers can ask detailed investigative questions that build the facts of the case.

At his press conference, Hunter Biden slammed Comer as well as Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, for their portrayal of the Biden family, denying that his father was involved in his business dealings.

“Their lies have become the false facts believed by too many people,” he said, suggesting they fear his public testimony.

“What are they afraid of?” he added. “I’m here, I’m ready.”

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