Hunter Biden /

Developing: Hunter Biden held in contempt for failure to appear at closed-door testimony

  |   By Polling+ Staff

Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images

Breaking Wednesday, House Republicans say they will initiate contempt of Congress proceedings against Hunter Biden after his refusal to appear for a scheduled closed door deposition. “Hunter Biden today defied lawful subpoenas and we will now initiate contempt of Congress proceedings,” said House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer and House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan. “We will not provide special treatment because his last name is Biden.”

The committee had previously issued a subpoena to Hunter to participate in a scheduled closed-door testimony on Wednesday. National Review reports that Hunter Biden appeared outside the Capitol on Wednesday and told reporters he will only testify before the House Oversight Committee if he can do so in a public hearing.

“As our committees were today prepared to depose Hunter Biden, he chose to make a public statement on Capitol Hill instead where he said his father, Joe Biden was not financially involved in his family’s business dealings. Exactly how was Joe Biden involved? Evidence shows Joe Biden met with Hunter’s business associates and his name was at the center of the family business strategy,” the two Republican representatives added.

“What are they afraid of? I’m here, I’m ready,” Hunter Biden said outside the Capitol on Wednesday to reporters. He claimed he was given the option to participate in depositions or committee hearings. “Well, I’ve chosen. I’m here to testify at a public hearing today to answer any of the committee’s legitimate questions,” he said. “There is no evidence to support the allegations that my father was financially involved in my business because it did not happen,” he continued.

Comer and Jordan said a scheduled House vote on a resolution to formally open an impeachment inquiry into President Biden is made all the more important by Hunter Biden’s defiance. “Today’s obstruction by Hunter Biden reinforces the need for a formal vote. President Biden and his family must be held accountable for their corruption and obstruction. And we will provide that to the American people.”

The committee says financial records show the family created a complex web of more than 20 shell companies “in a concerted effort to hide payments from foreign adversaries.” The family, its business associates, and their companies raked in more than $24 million from foreign nationals over a period of five years. That includes millions of dollars from China, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, and Kazakhstan.

The committee has released bank records that purportedly show a complicated series of money transfers that ultimately resulted in President Biden receiving $40,000 that originated with a Chinese company affiliated with CEFC China Energy.