WASHINGTON — Hunter Biden's lawyer indicated in a letter Friday that the president's son will comply with a congressional subpoena if House Republicans provide a “new” and “correct” one.
“If you issue a new formal subpoena, now that there is a formally authorized impeachment inquiry, Mr. Biden will comply with the hearing or deposition. We will accept such subpoena on Mr. Biden's behalf,” the letter obtained by NBC News said. .
The letter was sent to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.
Hunter Biden's attorney, Abe Lowell, argued that the subpoenas issued to the president's son are so far “legally invalid,” especially since they were issued before President Joe Biden authorized an impeachment trial, which he did in the middle of it. December.
“I am writing to inform you (if you have not already) that your subpoenas are legally invalid and cannot form a legal basis to proceed with your misguided and impermissible contempt motion,” Lowell wrote. “And you two, of all people, should know that it is.”
In one of the footnotes to Lowell's letter, during Wednesday's Judiciary Committee markup, Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., suggested a process for a hybrid process in which Republicans could ask for public testimony or alternate rounds of questions from Republicans and Democrats, which would be closed-door. done in the form Lowell said four Republicans voted in favor of such a process.
Comer and Jordan responded to Lowell's letter, chastising Hunter Biden for refusing to sit for a previously closed-door hearing, while also saying they were willing to find a new date to speak with him privately.
“We are pleased to say that Hunter Biden is now complying with a subpoena. Make no mistake: Hunter Biden has already violated two valid, lawful subpoenas,” the two leaders said in a joint statement.
“For now, the House of Representatives will move forward with holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress until he can confirm a date for Hunter Biden to appear for personal testimony in accordance with his legal obligation,” they added. “We will work to schedule a deposition date, and we will not tolerate any additional stunts or delays by Hunter Biden.”
On Friday, Jordan, Comer and Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, asked National Archives Director Colin Shogan to testify publicly about why the archives did not turn over the information. 'I've been asking Joe Biden since he was vice president.
In a letter sent Friday, the trio said they had turned over more than 60,000 pages of documents but failed to turn over thousands of documents at the direction of the White House. “NARA has responded that the White House has authorized the production of only certain documents. In the Committees' view, those documents include only those that reflect favorably on the President or are immaterial. This is unacceptable,” the letter said. .
Among the documents leaders are seeking are correspondence in which Biden may have used various aliases, two of his Air Force trips and communications with “various Biden family associates.”
The letter asks Shogun to appear on January 31 and says his testimony is “crucial to understanding whether and how the White House is obstructing the panel's investigation.”
NBC News has reached out to the National Archives for comment.
The House prepares to vote next week on Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for not complying with subpoenas already issued. Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said A post on X On Friday, “The House will vote next week to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress. Enough of his stunts. He can't play by any other rules. He's not above the law.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the oversight committee. On Friday, Hunter Biden said that he was giving Republicans exactly what they were asking for, and that Republicans “must stop and finally take this truly ridiculous and wasteful course of action.” Yes for an answer.” He pointed to one Interview On January 8, Jordan told a radio station that the panels would “certainly” drop the contempt charges if Hunter Biden came forward to testify, but that at the time he “didn't see any such offer.” It will come.”
Republicans on the Oversight and Judiciary Committees voted Wednesday to formally recommend the full House to impeach Biden.
Biden and Republicans have been at odds since last year over how to move forward with their investigation into him. The president's son has repeatedly expressed his desire to testify publicly before Congress, while choosing not to sit for a closed-door deposition requested by the House GOP because he and Lowell have said it would not be a fair process.
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