House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) said on Sunday that Hunter Biden faces “serious stuff” with contempt of Congress proceedings that could lead up to a year in jail.
The GOP leader spoke to Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures” about what consequences Biden might face for refusing to comply with congressional subpoenas as part of the corruption-focused impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden.
“Well, if we pass it [contempt of Congress] out of the committee and then pass it through the full House, which I think we can do, then it goes to the Justice Department. That will be the attorney general’s decision whether he’s going to press charges,” Jordan said.
“But if he does, I mean, it could be up to a year of jail time for failing to come and comply with a deposition for subpoena, a subpoenaed deposition to be interviewed by Congress. So this is serious stuff,” the chairman added.
Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) announced on Friday that his panel scheduled a meeting on Wednesday to take up a resolution to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress after the first son skipped a scheduled deposition last month and held a press event demanding a public hearing to answer “legitimate” questions.
A charge of contempt of Congress carries a minimum sentence of 30 days in jail, a maximum of one year behind bars, and a fine of up to $100,000, according to the Department of Justice.
The top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), criticized the move, saying, “There is no precedent for the U.S. House of Representatives holding a private citizen in contempt of Congress who has offered to testify in public, under oath, and on a day of the Committee’s choosing.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP
Jordan noted the Department of Justice has prosecuted former Trump administration aides Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro for contempt of Congress for resisting subpoenas issued by the January 6 Committee. He declined to predict whether Attorney General Merrick Garland will also prosecute Biden.
“That will be his call,” Jordan said. “But I do think there was support in the House, certainly in the House Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight Committee, to pass that contempt resolution. And then it’ll go to the House floor, I think, quickly thereafter.”