Republicans have threatened to start the process of holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress if he doesn't show up for his impeachment inquiry by 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
There is speculation in Washington, D.C., about whether the first son will appear for his behind-closed-doors interview in the GOP investigation into his father's involvement in foreign business deals.
The 53-year-old was charged last week with evading $1.4 million in taxes, and his lawyers have demanded he testify publicly so he can tell his story.
He is believed to have arrived in DC on Tuesday, but it is still unknown if he will appear on Capitol Hill.
Republican Congressmen James Comer and Jim Jordan have said Hunter Biden has “no choice” after issuing him a subpoena forcing him to appear for a deposition.
Republicans have threatened to start the process of holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress if he does not show up for his impeachment inquiry by 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
There is speculation in Washington, D.C., about whether the first son will appear for his behind-closed-doors interview in the GOP investigation into his father's involvement in foreign business deals.
“If Mr. Biden fails to appear for deposition on December 13, 2023, the committees will initiate contempt of congressional proceedings,” they said.
Hunter's attorney Abbe Lowell has urged that the statement be made public, claiming that Republicans have “demonstrated time and time again that they use closed-door sessions to manipulate, even distort, the facts and misinform the American public.”
The anticipation of Hunter's date with congressional investigators came as Republicans moved one step closer to approving the full impeachment inquiry into his father Joe.
The resolution was passed by the House Rules Committee on Tuesday, the final step before heading to the House.
Only Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., is still a “skinny no.” “I have 24 hours to get some sense into my head,” he joked to reporters.
Even moderate and Biden District Republicans appear to agree with authorizing the investigation — and insist it does not obligate them to vote later on whether to impeach the president.
“With anything with due process, there is a chance that all outcomes will occur,” Rep. John Garcia, R-Calif., who represents a district Biden won in 2020, told DailyMail.com.
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy had declared the investigation open in October, but now Republicans say they need a vote to fully greenlight the investigation because of the White House's stonewalling.
Holding a vote to impeach the president could be more politically divisive — and potentially damaging to Republicans from swing districts. Failure to vote to impeach Biden risks making it appear as if the investigation has exonerated him.
Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized that they are not obligated to impeach the president simply by opening an investigation.
“We're not going to prejudge the outcome of this,” he told reporters. 'It is not a political calculation. We follow the law.'
The vote will take place on a day when Hunter Biden is in DC, but he is not expected to appear for his mandatory statement on Capitol Hill.
Oversight Chairman James Comer and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan have threatened to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of court if he does not appear for a closed-door deposition by December 13.
Authorizing the investigation with the approval of a majority of the House of Representatives is a way for Republicans to strengthen their position in potential lawsuits.
Hunter's lawyers have insisted their client will only testify in public. Republicans have said he should make a private statement before having public testimony.
Now Republicans say Hunter could be hiding behind the shield of the Justice Department's latest indictment, which charged him with nine criminal charges for evading taxes while spending millions on an “extravagant lifestyle.”
The first son and his wife Melissa attended a party at St Mary's Episcopal Church in the Palms neighborhood of Los Angeles
Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized that they are not obligated to impeach the president simply by opening an investigation. “We're not going to prejudge the outcome of this,” he told reporters. 'It is not a political calculation. We follow the law'
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
The investigation is examining whether Biden participated in the business deals that capitalized on his name to enrich his family and whether he used the Justice Department to offer special treatment to his son.
Republican impeachment investigators will have to significantly ramp up the evidence they have of Joe Biden's involvement in his family's foreign business dealings if they want the votes to impeach the president. Some Republicans say they haven't seen enough evidence yet to convince them to impeach the president.
“The point of evidence is that you have to see it before you pass judgment on it,” Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., chair of the Pragmatic Main Street Caucus, told DailyMail.com.
Republicans in the House of Representatives have found evidence of payments from Hunter and James Biden into Joe Biden's bank accounts following lucrative business dealings, but the White House has shown evidence suggesting these could be loan repayments.