Hunter Biden offers to testify in House inquiry — in public
Comer insists he speak behind closed doors first
WASHINGTON — Hunter Biden, the president’s son, who is the subject of an investigation by House Republicans into his family, told Congress on Tuesday that he was willing to testify — but only publicly so that Republicans cannot twist or selectively leak what he says.
In a letter to Congress, Abbe D. Lowell, Hunter Biden’s lawyer, criticized the Republican inquiry as a “partisan crusade” and said he has watched as Representative James R. Comer, a Kentucky Republican and chair of the House Oversight Committee, has used “closed-door sessions to manipulate, even distort the facts and misinform the public.”
Lowell proposed that Hunter Biden appear at a public hearing on Dec. 13, the date Republicans set for his closeddoor interview, or “any date in December that we can arrange.”
“If, as you claim, your efforts are important and involve issues that Americans should know about, then let the light shine on these proceedings,” Lowell wrote.
Comer quickly rejected the offer, insisting that Hunter Biden first speak to the oversight panel behind closed doors but said that he could still testify publicly down the road.
“Hunter Biden is trying to play by his own rules instead of following the rules required of everyone else,” Comer said in a statement. “Our lawfully issued subpoena to Hunter Biden requires him to appear for a deposition on Dec. 13. We expect full cooperation with our subpoena for a deposition but also agree that Hunter Biden should have opportunity to testify in a public setting at a future date.”
Should Hunter Biden speak publicly in the House under oath, he would be taking risks, both criminally and politically. He is the subject of a federal criminal investigation now being led by a special counsel, and he is under indictment on charges of lying about his drug use on a federal form he filled out to purchase a handgun in 2018. Any testimony he provides to Congress could be used against him.
Hunter Biden has also engaged in activities — leveraging his father’s status for profit, accepting expensive gifts from overseas interests, failing to pay taxes on time, drug use, and prostitution — that while already well documented could still be politically damaging to President Biden’s reelection efforts if they become the focus of additional attention.
But those familiar with Hunter Biden’s strategy say his offer was designed to limit both of those risks. By testifying publicly, he could avoid manipulation of his words that could occur through selective leaks from closed-door testimony. And by putting Comer in the position of rejecting an offer of public testimony, Hunter Biden’s team was able to signal that he feels he has nothing to hide.
It is not clear what will happen next, but the dispute could set up a lengthy standoff between Hunter Biden and the committee.
House Republicans have worked for months to try to build an impeachment case against the president, searching for support for their allegations that he corruptly profited from his family members’ overseas business dealings and accepted bribes. But they have failed to deliver compelling evidence to back up their boldest claims.
Their investigation has focused heavily on the work Hunter Biden did for companies and partners in Ukraine, China, and other countries.
Last month, Republicans issued subpoenas demanding testimony from both Hunter and James Biden, the president’s brother. Comer also demanded that other Biden family members submit to transcribed interviews.
He sent letters seeking interviews to Sara Biden, James Biden’s wife; Hallie Biden, the widow of Beau Biden, the president’s older son; Elizabeth Secundy, Hallie Biden’s sister; Melissa Cohen, who is married to Hunter Biden; and Tony Bobulinski, a former associate of Hunter Biden’s who has accused the Bidens of wrongdoing.
Comer has already issued subpoenas for the bank records of James and Hunter Biden and obtained more than 14,000 pages of documents.