Attorneys for first son Hunter Biden have made a new offer to GOP House committee leaders for his appearance following what Republicans criticized as a “stunt” appearance at a hearing earlier this week.
Republicans ripped into Biden after he appeared in the gallery during an Oversight Committee hearing where lawmakers eventually voted to hold him in contempt of Congress after ignoring a subpoena to appear for a closed-door session earlier this month.
But Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, told the Oversight and Judiciary committees on Friday that if a new subpoena is issued under the “duly authorized impeachment inquiry,” the first son “will comply for a hearing or deposition,” according to Fox News.
Both committees voted to hold the president’s son in contempt.
In his letter to the committees, Lowell claimed both of the previous subpoenas were “legally invalid” as they were issued before the full House of Representatives voted to formalize the impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden.
“If you issue a new proper subpoena, now that there is a duly authorized impeachment inquiry, Mr. Biden will comply for a hearing or deposition,” Lowell wrote. “We will accept such a subpoena on Mr. Biden’s behalf.”
Lowell, in a footnote, states that “Rep. Glenn Ivey suggested a procedure for a hybrid process — a public deposition; hearing with alternating rounds of questions for Republicans and Democrats, and with similar rules (e.g., role of counsel in questioning), as is done in a closed-door deposition.”
“Four Republicans actually voted in committee in support of this process,” the footnote says. “Perhaps that could be the basis for our discussion.”
The letter comes as the House Rules Committee prepares to meet on Jan. 16 to draw up a contempt resolution that would then go to the full House to decide whether to recommend the first son for criminal prosecution.
Hunter and his entourage left the committee hearing after Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) laid into him for bringing cameras into the chamber along with a Hollywood friend who is making a documentary of the first son.
