Darrell Issa accuses Eric Swalwell of ‘abetting contempt’ for arranging Hunter Biden visit

EXCLUSIVE — Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) is raising concerns about his colleague Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) after the California Democrat helped Hunter Biden arrange to appear publicly at the United States Capitol on Wednesday in defiance of a congressional subpoena.

Issa told the Washington Examiner he believed Swalwell was “aiding and abetting contempt,” and he sent a letter to leaders of the House Ethics and House Administration Committees inquiring about the matter.

FIVE TIMES THE HUNTER BIDEN INFLUENCE PEDDLING STORY CHANGED

Issa noted in the letter that Swalwell reserved an area designated for press next to the Capitol building at 9:30 a.m., the same time as Biden’s closed-door deposition with the House Judiciary and Oversight committees. Swalwell’s reservation, which members of the public, including Biden, cannot make themselves, stated that Swalwell himself planned to speak on the “GOP impeachment of President Joe Biden” and did not mention Hunter Biden.

Hunter Biden did not appear for the deposition and delivered a brief speech in the designated area while Swalwell stood quietly nearby.

The first son reiterated during his remarks that he is willing to testify at a public hearing but not at the deposition requested by Republicans, noting that the closed-door setting would allow Republicans to leak cherry-picked information about his testimony.

Democrats and Republicans would both participate in the deposition if it occurred, and Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) has already vowed to release Hunter Biden’s testimony in full if he provides it.

Issa wrote in his letter, “By all appearances and reporting, the media space reservation by Congressman Swalwell — a member of the Judiciary Committee — was intended solely to allow Hunter Biden to fail to appear before these committees, publicly announce his refusal to comply with a dually-issued subpoena, and be in contempt of Congress.”

Issa told the Ethics and Administration Committee leaders he was seeking to “determine the extent of any and all potential violations” by Swalwell of the House’s code of conduct and rules.

Swalwell’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

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Hunter Biden has not yet been held in contempt of Congress, but Republicans said after his failed appearance that they had begun the process of voting on it.

Holding a witness in contempt of Congress is rare, and the full House must vote on it before it can occur. The Department of Justice then decides whether it wants to prosecute the matter.