House Republicans allege President Joe Biden conspired to obstruct Congress’ investigation into him and his son, Hunter Biden.
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee had issued subpoenas to depose Hunter Biden on Dec. 13, 2023, but he defied the request. At the time, the younger Biden said he was proud of his career and reiterated that his father was not involved in his business dealings.
“There’s no evidence to support the allegations that my father was financially involved in my business, because it did not happen,” Hunter Biden said, adding he would agree to testify only in public rather than behind closed doors.
On the day of the deposition, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked if the president had seen his son’s statements. She said the president was “certainly familiar with what his son was going to say,” without providing any detail on whether the president approved of his son’s actions.
Jean-Pierre’s statement indicates President Biden knew in advance that his son would not comply with the subpoena, according to a letter sent to Edward Siskel, who is President Biden’s assistant and the White House Counsel, on Wednesday. This letter cites the criminal code, which states that an “endeavor to influence, obstruct, or impede” an investigation or inquiry led by the House of Representatives or a joint committee is unlawful.
The letter, signed by House Oversight and Accountability chairman James Comer and House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan, says that following Jean-Pierre’s remarks, the House GOP wants to examine the president’s involvement in his son’s scheme to defy the subpoenas.
If “the President corruptly sought to influence or obstruct the Committees’ proceeding by preventing, discouraging, or dissuading his son from complying with the Committees’ subpoenas,” it is an impeachable offense, the letter says.
Comer and Jordan requested that the executive office submit all documents and communication sent or received by Hunter Biden, his law firm and Kevin Morris, an entertainment lawyer who helped pay off Hunter Biden’s unpaid taxes, regarding the deposition.
They also asked for all documents the president’s office sent or received related to his family’s business associates. The letter stated Jan. 10, 2024, as the deadline for fulfilling the requests.
Republicans have alleged that President Biden, during his time as vice president, benefited from his son’s foreign business deals. But they have yet to produce concrete evidence against the president.
“The Biden family business model is built on Joe Biden’s political career,” Comer has previously said. “If President Biden is compromised by deals with foreign adversaries and they are impacting his decision making, this is a threat to national security.”
House investigators intend to hear from Biden’s family members in the first part of 2024, setting up what could be a final decision on whether the House will proceed with impeachment proceedings, as the Deseret News reported.