Jen Psaki, who served as President Joe Biden‘s first press secretary, surmised the White House would prefer if Hunter Biden clammed up in a spat over a congressional subpoena in the GOP-led House’s impeachment inquiry.
The issue came up on Sunday when “Meet The Press” moderator Kristen Welker asked Psaki, who is now an MSNBC host, if Hunter Biden speaking at a press event outside the U.S. Capitol Building, but not showing up for a scheduled deposition, helped or hurt the White House.
“Look, I think if you’re sitting in the White House right now, you’re like, ‘Please, Hunter Biden. We know your dad loves you. Please stop talking in public.’ This is not helpful to any of them for him to be out there,” Psaki said during the exchange on NBC.
JUST IN: Former Biden Press Secretary Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) a.k.a. 'Circle Back' says the White House would want Hunter Biden to "stop talking in public” and to "probably go away right now." WATCH pic.twitter.com/TY1ss5Zddh
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) December 17, 2023
“But, at the same time, the president loves his son,” she added. “That takes precedent over anything else. That is appealing. I’m thinking of the woman in your focus group who talked about family. He loves his son. He loves his family. He’s worried about his mental health. But, yes, the White House would like him to probably go away right now.”
Last month, Hunter Biden was subpoenaed to appear for a deposition as part of the corruption-focused impeachment probe into his father, which is looking at the Biden family’s business dealings, as well as how the Department of Justice has handled its criminal investigation into Hunter Biden. Others have been dealt subpoenas, too, including the president’s brother James Biden.
Hunter Biden did show up on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, when his deposition was scheduled to take place, yet he used the opportunity to publicly demand House Republicans provide him a public hearing instead of a closed-door interview.
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“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,” Biden said.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that President Biden was “familiar” with what Hunter Biden was going to say at his press event, but declined to offer any more details when pressed on whether the commander in chief tried to talk his son out of violating a congressional subpoena.
House Republicans have indicated they are willing to have Hunter Biden testify in a public hearing — but only after a deposition. Now impeachment investigators are saying Hunter Biden will face contempt of Congress proceedings.
Shortly after the first son’s press event, the House elected to formally authorize the impeachment inquiry in a party-line vote that Republicans argued would give legal weight to their subpoenas.
President Biden, who is seeking re-election next year, responded with a lengthy statement that accused House Republicans of “attacking me with lies” and “choosing to waste time on this baseless political stunt” that is “not supported by facts.”