First appearance on Fox: House Republicans are investigating whether President Biden was involved in his son Hunter Biden’s “scheme” to ignore a subpoena for a deposition earlier this month, an act they say is “impeachable.” “It may constitute a crime worthy of a crime.”
The House Oversight Committee, the House Judiciary Committee, and the House Ways and Means Committee are investigating “whether sufficient grounds exist to draft articles of impeachment against President Biden for consideration by the full House.” The House of Representatives formally decided to investigate earlier this month.
Jordan says Hunter Biden made a ‘huge change’ by saying his father was ‘not financially involved’ in the business
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on Wednesday sent a letter obtained by Fox News Digital to White House Counsel Edward -Written to Siskel to inform him of additional territory. their investigation.
“Given the White House’s public statement that President Biden knew in advance that his son, Hunter Biden, would intentionally defy two Congressional subpoenas, we are investigating the president’s conspiracies as part of the impeachment inquiry. Comer and Jordan wrote to Siskel, “We are forced to investigate whether he engaged in “obstruction of Congressional proceedings.”
Both subpoenas were for Hunter Biden’s deposition, one from Comer and one from Jordan. Both chairs were scheduled to take depositions at the same time in the same room.
Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
The president’s son was subpoenaed earlier this month to appear for a deposition before the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees. Hunter Biden ignored that subpoena and instead appeared at the Capitol and made his public statement in front of the press.
“On December 13, Mr. Biden did not appear for the deposition required by the committee’s subpoena. Instead, Mr. Biden appeared on the Capitol grounds with his attorney and Congressman Eric Swalwell. “I turned myself in,” they wrote. “Mr. Biden issued a lengthy public statement to reporters in which he made statements regarding his business activities, allegations about President Biden’s knowledge and ‘financial’ involvement in these activities, and other matters related to the House impeachment inquiry.” He made several related statements. and an attack on the commission’s investigation. ”
Hunter Biden “indicated that he intended to testify only in public, a request for special treatment that the committee had previously denied.”
Hunter Biden won’t respond to Republican deposition, says father is not ‘financially’ involved in his business
“Biden has publicly stated that he is interested in answering questions about his conduct, but he left the Capitol grounds without taking any questions.The committee subsequently determined that Biden did not appear for his deposition. “We recorded what happened,” they wrote.
Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), Rep. Hunter Biden, and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). (Getty Images)
But later that day, Comer and Jordan pointed to a statement from White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. She was asked if the president had seen her son’s public statement.
“White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden is ‘certainly aware of what his son is trying to say,'” they wrote. “However, Mr. Jean-Pierre declined to provide further details about the president’s actions, including whether the president authorized his son to defy the Congressional subpoena.”
But he added that Jean-Pierre’s comments “suggest that the president had some sophisticated knowledge that Mr. Biden would choose to ignore two congressional subpoenas.” Ta.
The chairs pointed to the Criminal Code, which states that it is illegal to “unauthorizedly…influence, obstruct, or attempt to interfere with an investigation or the legitimate and proper exercise of the investigative powers under which the investigation is being conducted.” I cited the clause that states: …a committee of the House of Representatives or a joint committee of Congress. ”
Hunter Biden and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. (Getty Images)
“Similarly, a person who ‘aids, abets, advises, orders, abets, or abets’ the commission of a crime is punished as the mastermind of the crime,” they wrote.
“Given Mr. Jean-Pierre’s statements, we are compelled to investigate the President’s involvement in his son’s plan to ignore the committee’s subpoena,” they wrote. “The committees have amassed substantial evidence showing that Hunter Biden’s business activities improperly included his father, and that the president made false claims about his knowledge and involvement in these schemes. It is carried out.”
White House and Hunter Biden’s team keep shifting goalposts to deny involvement in father’s business
Comer and Jordan also said that days before Hunter Biden was scheduled to appear in court for a deposition, the president “claimed that he had no contact with his son’s business partners.”
“This is false,” they wrote. “The president met with, spoke with, and received funds from his son’s foreign business partners.”
President Joe Biden stands at the White House on December 13, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Comer and Jordan said that given the evidence they have gathered, “the fact that the president knew in advance that his son would defy the subpoena raises new and troubling questions that we must consider.” “Did the president attempt to exercise improper influence or did he attempt to exercise improper influence?” Interfering with the Commission’s proceedings by preventing, dissuading, or discouraging the Son from complying with the Commission’s subpoena; ”
“Such conduct may constitute an impeachable offense,” they wrote.
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The chairs requested all documents and communications sent and received by the White House regarding Hunter Biden’s deposition, including communications with Hunter Biden, the law firm Winston & Strawn LLP, and Kevin Morris.
It also requested all documents and communications sent and received by White House executive branch officials regarding the president’s Dec. 6, 2023 statement regarding family business associates.
Mr. Comer and Mr. Jordan gave Mr. Siskel until January 10, 2024, to provide the information.
