House GOP sues to force DOJ lawyers to testify

House Republicans filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking to force two Justice Department lawyers to testify about the criminal investigation of Hunter Biden as part of the chamber’s impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee wants the court to order two rank-and-file Justice Department tax division attorneys to comply with subpoenas demanding that they answer questions about Hunter Biden. The lawsuit says their failure to testify is impeding the committee’s inquiry into claims that the Justice Department mishandled and “slow walked” the investigation into the president’s son.

The Justice Department didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the lawsuit. But the department has previously said it has already taken “extraordinary steps” to answer concerns about the probe, including first-of-its-kind testimony from the special counsel overseeing the Hunter Biden prosecutions.

Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to gun and tax charges filed after the implosion of a plea deal that would have spared him jail time. The tax charges stem from what federal prosecutors say was a four-year scheme to skip out on paying the $1.4 million he owed to the IRS and instead use the money to fund an extravagant lifestyle that by his own admission included drugs and alcohol.

Rather than drawing up articles of impeachment against the president, James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, is eyeing potential criminal referrals of the family to the Justice Department. Comer on Wednesday announced he will seek testimony from Joe Biden himself, saying the Democratic president was either “complicit or incompetent” in his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings. It’s highly unlikely the president would appear before the committee.

The White House told Republicans to “move on” and focus on “real issues” Americans want addressed.