Hunter Biden is stirring up a “constitutional crisis” by defying a subpoena in the corruption-focused impeachment inquiry against his father, President Joe Biden, according to a top House Republican.
Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO), who is helping to lead the impeachment probe, decried the younger Biden’s antics — speaking at a press event outside the Capitol but not showing up for a scheduled deposition — during an interview with Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures.”
“If you or I or any other American would do that, we would be prosecuted,” Smith said. He noted that IRS whistleblower testimony has already raised concerns about a “two-tiered justice system” with how the Department of Justice has handled its criminal investigation into Hunter Biden.
“The fact that Hunter Biden was supposed to be in the halls of that building going through a congressional subpoena, through depositions, and he defied that by standing on the footsteps of the Capitol and doing a press conference, the fact that he is the president’s son, and he’s doing that, is creating a very severe constitutional crisis,” Smith added.
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Hunter Biden appeared in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday but did not cooperate with a subpoena demanding he participate in a deposition that day. In delivering remarks at the press event outside the U.S. Capitol Building, the president’s son insisted on being given a public hearing instead of a closed-door interview.
“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.
The show of defiance led impeachment investigators to say Hunter Biden will face contempt of Congress proceedings. And to give legal weight to their subpoenas, the GOP-led House voted later on Wednesday to formally authorize the impeachment inquiry.
“The fact that every single Republican, 221, voted for this impeachment inquiry shows that the evidence that’s been coming forward between Chairman [James] Comer, Chairman [Jim] Jordan, and myself and these IRS whistleblowers highlight the need to continue the investigation,” Smith said.
“And that’s in fact what we’re going to do,” he added. We have seen this White House continue to block and stonewall subpoenas that we have had, witnesses to come forward, documents that we have requested. And by having this official impeachment inquiry vote, we’re able to be able to use additional tools to get this information.”