House GOP says Hunter Biden ‘violated federal law’ by defying subpoena, prepare contempt resolution

FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans have prepared a resolution that would hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress after the first son, in a “criminal act,” defied a congressional subpoena and as part of the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden.

Fox News Digital on Monday obtained the contempt resolution and accompanying report from the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS CONSIDER HOLDING HUNTER BIDEN IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS

Instead, Hunter Biden appeared on Capitol Hill to deliver a statement to the press, defying that subpoena, and said he would only testify in a public setting.

Hunter Biden on Wednesday, December 13, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“Mr. Biden has violated federal law, and must be held in contempt of Congress,” the report reads.

The House Oversight report identifies Hunter Biden’s testimony as “a critical component of the impeachment inquiry into, among other things, whether Joseph R. Biden, Jr., as Vice President and/or President: (1) took any official action or effected any change in government policy because of money or other things of value provided to himself or his family; (2) abused his office of public trust by providing foreign interests with access to him and his office in exchange for payments to his family or him; or (3) abused his office of public trust by knowingly participating in a scheme to enrich himself or his family by giving foreign interests the impression that they would receive access to him and his office in exchange for payments to his family or him.”

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., speak to reporters after Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son, defied subpoena on Dec. 13, 2023.  (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

HOUSE GOP PROBING IF BIDEN WAS INVOLVED IN HUNTER’S ‘SCHEME’ TO DEFY SUBPOENA, POTENTIAL ‘IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE’

“The Oversight and Accountability Committee, with the other investigating committees, has accumulated significant evidence suggesting that President Biden knew of, participated in, and profited from foreign business interests engaged in by his son, about which the Committees intended to question Mr. Biden during his deposition,” the report states.

“Mr. Biden’s decision to defy the Committees’ subpoenas and deliver prepared remarks prevents the Committee from carrying out its Constitutional oversight function and its impeachment inquiry,” it continues. 

The report and resolution is set to be considered by the House Oversight Committee during a markup meeting on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.  (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

HUNTER BIDEN WILL NOT SIT FOR DEPOSITION BY GOP, SAYS FATHER NOT ‘FINANCIALLY’ INVOLVED IN HIS BUSINESS

“Hunter Biden’s willful refusal to comply with our subpoenas constitutes contempt of Congress and warrants referral to the appropriate United States Attorney’s Office for prosecution,” Comer said last week. “We will not provide him with special treatment because of his last name.”

The House Judiciary Committee will also hold a similar markup on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. recommending Hunter Biden be held in contempt of Congress. 

Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, D-Md., blasted 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. Chairman Comer repeatedly urged Hunter Biden to appear at a Committee hearing, and Hunter Biden agreed.” 

JORDAN SAYS HUNTER BIDEN MADE A ‘HUGE CHANGE’ BY SAYING HIS FATHER WAS ‘NOT FINANCIALLY INVOLVED’ IN BUSINESS

President Joe Biden on Dec. 13, 2023. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, last month, Comer and Jordan expanded their investigation to probe whether President Biden was involved in his son’s “scheme” to defy his subpoena for deposition earlier this month — conduct, they say, “could constitute an impeachable offense.”  

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The House impeachment inquiry against President Biden was formalized by the full House last month. The inquiry is being led by Comer, Jordan and House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo.