House Republicans’ efforts to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress are on hold as the first son consults with a congressional panel about possibly testifying in connection with the impeachment inquiry into his father, President Biden.
The House Rules Committee on Tuesday removed from its agenda a hearing on a resolution seeking to impeach the 53-year-old for violating a subpoena demanding his testimony amid “ongoing” discussions between the first son and the House Judiciary and Oversight committee.
“Following the exchange of letters between the parties on January 12 and January 14, committee staff and Hunter Biden’s attorney are working to schedule Hunter Biden’s appearance,” a spokesperson for the House Oversight Committee said in a statement.
“Negotiations are ongoing this afternoon, and in light of member travel disruptions and canceling votes, the House Rules Committee is not considering a contempt resolution today to give attorneys additional time to reach an agreement.”
Hunter Biden refused to comply with a subpoena to obtain his personal testimony related to the impeachment inquiry against his father, President Biden. Reuters
Last week, the eldest son’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, asked the committee overseeing the impeachment inquiry into the 81-year-old president to issue a new subpoena against his client, arguing that the earlier subpoena was “legally invalid” because it was issued before the trial. that. the full House votes to inaugurate the investigation.
“If you issue a proper new subpoena, now that there is an authorized impeachment investigation, Mr. Biden will comply with a hearing or deposition,” Lowell wrote in a letter to Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan ( R-Ohio). “We will accept such a subpoena on Mr. Biden’s behalf.”
Comer and Jordan responded to Lowell on Sunday and stated that they would issue a new subpoena “as an accommodation to Mr. Biden and at your request.”
“The Committee welcomes Mr. Biden’s renewed willingness to testify in a deposition under subpoena,” Comer and Jordan wrote in the dispatch, maintaining that their original subpoena was valid.
“To be clear, the issuance of this subpoena in no way suggests or implies that the committee believes the allegations in your January 12 letter have any merit,” the lawmaker wrote.
Jordan and Comer indicated on Sunday that they would prefer to issue a new subpoena against Hunter Biden. Allison Bailey/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Despite the new negotiations, House Rules Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) will not rule out moving forward with a contempt vote if the discussions do not lead to testimony from Hunter Biden.
“If those conversations don’t prove successful, the Rules Committee could reconvene this week to consider the report,” Cole said Tuesday, according to the Hill.
The House Judiciary and Oversight Committee voted separately last week to hold Hunter in contempt after his eldest son opposed the deposition scheduled for December 13, and instead delivered a statement on Capitol grounds in which he claimed his father was not “financially involved” in his overseas business dealings.
Insulting Congress is punishable by at least 30 days in jail.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
