Hunter Biden made a surprise appearance at a congressional hearing on Wednesday, as Republicans on the US House oversight committee convened to consider a resolution to hold the president’s son in contempt of Congress over his refusal to comply with a subpoena for testimony.
Appearing with his attorney Abbe Lowell, Hunter Biden sat silently in the front row as the committee chair and vice-chair delivered opening statements to a hearing that would be dominated by partisan bickering.
“We will not provide Hunter Biden with special treatment because of his last name,” said James Comer, the Republican chair, from Kentucky. “All Americans must be treated equally under the law. That includes the Bidens.”
Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the Democratic vice-chair, hit back by reminding Republicans Hunter Biden offered to testify in public. Raskin also noted that Republicans including the House judiciary chair, Jim Jordan, defied subpoenas issued by the January 6 committee.
“We are here today because the chairman has bizarrely decided to obstruct his own investigation and is now seeking to hold Hunter Biden in contempt after he accepted the chairman’s multiple public offers to come answer the committee’s questions under oath before the American people,” Raskin said.
The hearing descended into chaos as Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, called Hunter Biden “the epitome of white privilege” for, she said, “spitting in our face, ignoring a congressional subpoena to be deposed”.
“What are you afraid of?” Mace said. “You have no balls. I think that Hunter Biden should be arrested right here right now and go straight to jail.”
The notion of Biden being “afraid” to face House Republicans struck Democrats as absurd, given his presence in the room. Jared Moskowitz, from Florida, interrupted Mace to say: “If the gentlelady wants to hear from Hunter Biden, we can hear from him right now, Mr Chairman. Let’s take a vote and hear from Hunter Biden. What are you afraid of?”
Jasmine Crockett of Texas, a Black Democrat, took issue with Mace’s invocation of white privilege.
“I can’t get over the gentlelady from South Carolina talking about white privilege,” Crockett said. “It was a spit in the face, at least of mine as a Black woman, for you to talk about what white privilege looks like, especially from that side of the aisle.”
Mace pointed to a previous role as the ranking Republican on the civil rights subcommittee and said she took “great pride as a white female Republican to address the inadequacies in our country”.
As Marjorie Taylor Greene, the extremist Republican from Georgia, was speaking, Hunter Biden left the room. Greene, who in a previous hearing showed what appeared to be a sexually explicit picture of Biden, claimed he was “afraid of my words”.
Robert Garcia, a California Democrat, defended Biden, saying: “I think it’s really interesting to hear the gentlelady from Georgia speak about Hunter Biden leaving, when she is the person that showed nude photos of Hunter Biden in this very committee room.”
When Greene attempted to enter evidence into the record, Raskin protested that Democrats had not seen it, saying: “In the past, she’s displayed pornography. Are pornographic photos allowed to be displayed in this committee room?”
Greene said her evidence was not pornographic. Raskin said: “OK, well, you’re the expert.”
Outside, Lowell told reporters: “Republican chairs … are commandeering an unprecedented resolution to hold somebody in contempt who has offered to publicly answer all their proper questions. The question there is, what are they afraid of?”
Republicans are targeting Biden as part of attempts to portray his father as corrupt and secure his impeachment, as an expected election rematch with Donald Trump looms. Republicans have however presented no evidence that Joe Biden profited from his son’s dealings.
In early December, Hunter Biden, 53, defied a subpoena for testimony in private, instead appearing in front of reporters on Capitol Hill.
“Republicans do not want an open process where Americans can see their tactics, expose their baseless inquiry, or hear what I have to say,” Biden said then. “What are they afraid of? I am here.”
On Monday, Comer and Jordan released their contempt resolution and an attendant report. They said Biden’s “willful refusal to comply with our subpoenas constitutes contempt of Congress and warrants referral to the appropriate United States attorney’s office for prosecution.”
Contempt of Congress is a misdemeanour criminal offence. As described by the Congressional Research Service, “a witness suffers no direct legal consequence from House or Senate approval of a contempt citation, though a variety of political consequences may [follow]. If the individual is prosecuted and convicted, violations … are punishable by a fine of up to $100,000 and imprisonment ‘for not less than one month nor more than 12 months’.”
Hunter Biden is already in extensive legal jeopardy. In September, he was indicted in Delaware on three federal charges related to his purchase and ownership of a handgun while experiencing (and lying about) addiction. Facing a sentence of up to 25 years, he pleaded not guilty.
In December, he was indicted in California on nine tax charges carrying a maximum sentence of 17 years. Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday.
Democrats have attempted to make news of their own, releasing a report detailing at least $7.8m in payments from 20 countries to Trump business concerns during his four years in power. Comer called that report “beyond parody” and said: “Former President Trump has legitimate businesses but the Bidens do not.”
In December, Hunter Biden said: “There is no evidence to support the allegations that my father was financially involved in my business because it did not happen …
“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.”
