Hunter Biden was scheduled to testify behind closed doors before the House Oversight Committee within the framework of an impeachment investigation against his father, Joe Biden. Although he was present at Congress, he chose to speak before the press in a place reserved for him by Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA), an action for which a Republican colleague wants to accuse him of contempt.
Biden rejected the statement behind closed doors, arguing that it could lead Republicans present to distort his words and use them against the president. "I'm here today to make sure the House committee's illegitimate investigations of my family do not proceed on distortions, manipulated evidence, and lies," Hunter Biden said on Wednesday.
"And I'm here today to acknowledge I have made mistakes in my life and wasted opportunities and privileges I was afforded. For that I am responsible. For that I am accountable. And for that, I am making amends," he added, standing on the steps of Capitol Hill.
Hunter is not above the law.
His actions will have consequences.
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) December 13, 2023
"No one can do that"
It turns out that the president's son spoke from a place reserved by Swalwell, a sitting Democratic congressman, which set off alarms in Andy Biggs's (R-AZ) office. Biggs has already requested contempt charges against his colleague.
"Nobody gets to do that. He was sent subpoenas. He was told to appear," he first said about Hunter Biden in statements to Fox News Digital.
"We're going to vote to hold him in contempt. We probably need to vote Eric Swalwell in contempt, because the rumor is that Mr. Swalwell aided and abetted him by setting up his facilities so he could have his [press] conference across the way," he added.
The Democratic congressman and former presidential candidate admitted to POLITICO that he had reserved the venue for Biden's statement. "There is absolutely zero evidence Hunter or his father acted corruptly. So I'm not going to sit quietly and let MAGA Republicans do Trump's bidding in Congress," he said.
Republicans in the House wanted to hear the testimony of the president's son and also his brother, James Biden, within the framework of the current impeachment investigation. If the president's son is found in contempt for failing to testify, Attorney General Merrick Garland could be forced to file charges against him.
