Hunter Biden has been pulling a series of stunts to do with the subpoena he received late last year to appear for a closed-door testimony as part of an impeachment inquiry into his father, President Joe Biden. To recap, Hunter said he'd appear for a public hearing, something that House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) quickly shot down. Last December, Hunter defied his subpoena when he showed up on the Senate side of the Capitol to give remarks and then left, though he finally gave that testimony on February 28 after his lawyers and House Republican committee came to an agreement. While he was invited to appear as one of the witnesses for a March 20 hearing, attorney Abbe Lowell now tells Comer that his client won't show up.
While Lowell says they have a conflict with a court hearing in California the next day, his letter goes on to complain about a host of other issues. "Your blatant planned-for-media event is not a proper proceeding but an obvious attempt to throw a Hail Mary pass after the game has ended," he also wrote.
Despite Hunter previously indicating he wanted a public hearing, and Comer publicly indicating after the February 28 deposition that that was what he was aiming for as the next step, Lowell indicated "I must confess my surprise by your hasty request." He also threw accusations around about how "your baseless impeachment proceeding was dead" and "President Biden has done nothing wrong and certainly nothing, even in your misapplication of the impeachment provisions of the Constitution, to warrant further proceedings."
News: Hunter Biden’s legal team informed Comer in a letter today that he will not attend a March 20 public hearing pic.twitter.com/P9jXwfpY7k
— Jordain Carney (@jordainc) March 13, 2024
Reporting from The Daily Caller, which covered the letter, included comments from a source that the letter was given to the media beforehand:
Following the release of the letter, a source familiar told the Daily Caller that Congress saw it in the media before actually receiving it themselves.
“We just received it. They gave it to Punchbowl before providing it to Congress,” a source familiar told the Daily Caller.
Comer shared a statement about how the Committee "has called Hunter Biden's bluff," and how they "fully expect Hunter Biden to participate."
"The House Oversight Committee has called Hunter Biden's bluff. Hunter Biden for months stated he wanted a public hearing, but now that one has been offered alongside his business associates that he worked with for years, he is refusing to come," Comer began his statement with. "During our deposition and interview phase of our investigation, Hunter Biden confirmed key evidence, including evidence that his father, President Joe Biden, lied to the American people about his family’s business dealings and in fact attended meetings, spoke on speakerphone, and had coffee with his foreign business associates who collectively funneled millions to the Bidens," he reminded.
"However, parts of Hunter Biden’s testimony contradict the testimonies of Devon Archer, Jason Galanis, and Tony Bobulinski," Comer also pointed out, which was what Comer had said publicly following Hunter's deposition.
As the chairman also put it, the "American people demand the truth and accountability for the Biden's corruption."
🚨STATEMENT🚨 @GOPoversight has called Hunter Biden’s bluff. For months he wanted a public hearing, but now that one has been offered alongside his business associates, he is refusing to come.
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) March 13, 2024
Next week’s hearing is moving forward and we fully expect Hunter to participate.👇 pic.twitter.com/W34Dgs4pdD
The New York Post's Miranda Devine reposted POLITICO's Jordain Carney sharing the letter to offer that Hunter looking to skip out of the hearing is not surprising given how it didn't go well for him. He'd also be surrounded at the hearing by his former business associates, with fears he could "be fact-checked in real time."
What a surprise - not. The deposition didn’t go well and there’s no way Hunter’s lawyers would allow him to be fact-checked in real time by Tony Bobulinski, Devon Archer or IRS investigators Joe Ziegler and Gary Shapley. https://t.co/osjpi4lbFz
— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) March 13, 2024
Just as Comer's statement made clear, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) has also indicated that the hearing will take place as scheduled.
Other invited witnesses include Archer, Bobulinski, and Galanis, the latter who is currently serving time in prison and who in his transcribed testimony, raised concerns about the weaponized Department of Justice under the Biden administration. Archer has spoken to how now President Biden was the "brand," and Bobulinski was at best ignored and even smeared by Democrats and the mainstream media for his testimony.
Last week, Jordan, Comer, and Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee Chairman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) made requests of Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director Colette Peters and Southern District of New York Assistant U.S. Attorney Negar Tekeei for information about claims made by Galanis.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member