Members of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives will begin the special process of impeaching Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, for contempt of Congress after he refused to comply with a subpoena to testify in an investigation related to his family on Wednesday, according to two senior members, leading to an unprecedented showdown between the House Republican Party and the president’s son.
Key Facts
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (Republican from Kentucky) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (Republican from Ohio) stated that they will begin “contempt of Congress proceedings now,” in a statement issued shortly after Hunter Biden’s rare press conference outside the Capitol, where he explained his decision not to testify.
In the past, contempt of Congress actions have been taken against witnesses following a vote by the House – which has a narrow Republican majority – and a recommendation from a committee, although the decision to file a criminal contempt charge for ignoring a subpoena from the House rests with the Department of Justice, which often does not file charges.
Comer and Jordan characterized Hunter Biden’s refusal to testify as “obstruction,” hinting at charges they may cite when issuing contempt allegations.
What to Watch For
The House is expected to vote on Wednesday to initiate an official investigation into the impeachment of President Joe Biden. Republicans hope this action will give committees greater authority to issue subpoenas and collect information from the president, his family, aides, and various branches of government that have received tips or begun their own investigations into Hunter Biden’s conduct.
Main Background
Republicans accelerated their investigations related to Hunter Biden after regaining a substantial majority in the House during the 2022 midterm elections. Oversight and Judiciary Committees have gathered tens of thousands of pages of documents, including bank records and emails, which they have used to accuse President Joe Biden of using his influence to benefit himself, Hunter Biden, or family members financially. The committee has not disclosed any strong evidence indicating that the president was financially linked to his family’s business ventures; however, some witnesses suggested that Hunter Biden invoked his father’s name to assist him in his own career, although it remains unclear whether the president was aware of his son’s actions. Other witnesses accused the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service of treating Hunter Biden more leniently in their investigations of his foreign business dealings.
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