The White House press secretary said Wednesday that President Joe Biden was “familiar” with what his son Hunter was about to say earlier in the day as he laid out his case for defying a congressional subpoena to testify.
But Karine Jean-Pierre did not answer questions about whether the president provided advice or questions about whether 53-year-old Hunter Biden should be prosecuted for his rejection of the Republican investigation.
“As you know, Hunter Biden is a private citizen. And so I would certainly refer you to his representatives,” she said when asked if the president had watched his speech.
“You know, the president certainly knew what his son was going to say.
“And I think what you saw came from the heart of his son, and you heard… I heard this said, you heard the president say this, when it comes to the president, the first lady, they are proud of him as he rebuilds his life.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that President Joe Biden was “familiar” with what his son Hunter would say earlier in the day when he defied a congressional subpoena to testify before Republican investigators.
Hunter Biden gave a speech on Capitol Hill criticizing Republicans for their “illegitimate investigations” based on “distortions, manipulated evidence and lies”
She withheld follow-up questions about how the president was “familiar” with his son's speech, and whether the two had discussed it.
Earlier, the president's son appeared on Capitol Hill, where he lashed out at Republicans and explained his reasons for rejecting their call for a closed-door statement.
“I am here today to ensure that the House committees' unlawful investigation into my family does not stem from distortions, tampered evidence and lies,” he said.
Instead, he offered to testify publicly.
'What are they afraid of? I'm here,' he said.
Republican leaders quickly said they were prepared to launch a contempt of congressional proceedings.
They have been trying for months to involve President Joe Biden in his son's business activities. So far, their evidence has not turned up anything to implicate the elder Biden in any wrongdoing.
At the White House, Jean-Pierre did not say whether the president had seen his son's speech.
Instead, she laid out the ways Biden focused on the important task of governing the nation.
Republicans have been trying for months to find evidence linking the president to his son's international business dealings. So far they have fallen short
“We just went back and forth about what's happening at the border and how he wants to make sure that we secure the border, and the work that he and his team have done in the negotiations to make sure that there's a compromise between both sides comes,” she says. said.
She pursued other questions about whether the president was relaxed about his son defying a subpoena.
“I'm just not going to go into details about that,” she said, referring reporters' questions to Hunter Biden's personal representatives.
She also did not respond to questions about comments Biden made in 2021 about Jan. 6 suspects defying subpoenas from House investigators.
CNN's Katelyn Collins asked him if they should be prosecuted by the Justice Department? “I do, yes,” he said.
Hunter Biden arrived on the Senate side of the Capitol on Wednesday morning with his attorney Abbe Lowell, sparking speculation that he would actually testify
President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Hunter Biden holding Beau Biden, and Naomi Biden watch fireworks on the South Lawn of the White House on the 4th of July
“I have nothing to add,” she said.
But she was clearer on another question when asked whether Biden would grant a pardon.
“The president is not going to pardon his son,” she said.
The president's son also faces criminal charges in two states.
He faces gun counts in Delaware, where he is accused of violating laws against drug users with guns in 2018.
And special counsel David Weiss also filed new charges and nine new tax bills last week, alleging he schemed to avoid paying about $1.4 million in taxes over three years.