Byron York expresses doubt DOJ would cite Hunter Biden for contempt of Congress

The Washington Examiner’s Byron York has expressed doubt that the Department of Justice would cite Hunter Biden for contempt of Congress, as it has in the past for other people refusing to provide a deposition.

York made the comment shortly after the president’s son spoke Wednesday in Washington, delivering a rare public statement outside the Capitol. York, a Fox News contributor and chief political correspondent for the Washington Examiner, said House Republicans could get excited if Hunter Biden refuses to give a deposition, which could lead to a contempt of Congress charge from the Justice Department. Whether the DOJ would actually pursue that charge is a different story.

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“During the January 6th committee investigation, we saw the Justice Department get really serious about contempt of Congress,” York said on Fox News’s America’s Newsroom. “So when a couple of witnesses, like Steve Bannon, were obviously in contempt of Congress, they wouldn’t show up, they wouldn’t talk, they wouldn’t produce anything. They were cited for contempt of Congress and the Justice Department prosecuted them. Here, I don’t think the Biden Justice Department would be very energetic in pursuing a Hunter Biden contempt of Congress charge.”

York added that if Hunter Biden is ordered to give a deposition to Congress, he should “at least show up” to Congress, where he could plead the Fifth Amendment and opt to remain silent.

“In Congress, if you’re subpoenaed to testify, and you tell the members of Congress to forget about it, you’re not showing up, they get really mad,” York said. “But if you show up and say, ‘Well, because of the Fifth Amendment, I can’t answer your questions but here I am, here is my body right in front of you,’ then they have less reason to go after you for contempt of Congress.”

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

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 Republican-controlled House.