The change of tone comes as the first son’s lawyer offered cooperation with a new subpoena after his client’s non-compliance with an earlier one.
The House Republican chairmen leading the charge to hold first son Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress say they’re open to pausing the proceedings in exchange for Mr. Biden’s cooperation.
In a Jan. 14 letter (pdf), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) announced the subpoenas in the interest of receiving the first son’s testimony. Mr. Biden flouted an earlier subpoena but has since said he would comply in the future.
The full House was scheduled to vote to recommend contempt of Congress as early as this week.
Now, Mr. Comer and Mr. Jordan seem prepared to walk this back—as long as Mr. Biden fully complies in the future.
Asked whether they would still pursue contempt charges against the first son in light of the new subpoenas, a spokesman for Mr. Comer told The Epoch Times they would consider dropping the recommendation of charges.
“If they agree to genuinely cooperate and we can work out a deposition date, the Chairmen will recommend to Leadership that we hold the floor vote on contempt in abeyance for now,” the spokesman said.
Last year, Mr. Biden was subpoenaed for a closed-door deposition by the two panels as part of an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
The younger Mr. Biden brazenly refused the subpoena, instead appearing on Capitol Hill where, flanked by Rep. Eric Swalwell (R-Calif.), he denied charges of wrongdoing by his father and said he would only appear for an open forum.
House Republicans immediately moved to hold the first son in contempt of Congress.
Later, during a markup of the resolution to hold him in contempt, Mr. Biden appeared in the front row of the committee hearing.
Mr. Biden’s attorneys later argued that, because the impeachment inquiry didn’t have congressional backing at the time, it was illegitimate—an argument they first made in a Jan. 12 letter, after Mr. Biden’s two appearances on Capitol Hill.
By Joseph Lord
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