After a busy week proclaiming his innocence in federal court and sparring with a Republican lawmaker who accused him of having "no balls," Hunter Biden on Friday caved to GOP demands to testify as part of an impeachment inquiry into his father.
Hunter Biden agreed to testify on his foreign business dealings either behind closed doors or in public, according to a letter his attorney, Abbe Lowell, sent two Republican lawmakers. "If you issue a new proper subpoena, now that there is a duly authorized impeachment inquiry, Mr. Biden will comply for a hearing or deposition. We will accept such a subpoena on Mr. Biden’s behalf," Lowell wrote to Reps. James Comer (R., Ky.) and Jim Jordan (R., Ohio), who are leading the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
Lowell, a powerhouse Democratic lawyer, asserted that Republicans’ earlier subpoenas for Biden’s deposition were "invalid" because they came before the House of Representatives voted on a formal impeachment inquiry into the president.
It’s a dramatic reversal for Hunter Biden, who has taunted Republicans throughout their investigation into the Biden family business dealings. Earlier this week, Hunter Biden appeared with Lowell at a House Oversight Committee hearing, where lawmakers debated a contempt of Congress proceeding against him for his refusal to comply with an earlier subpoena. Hunter Biden sat in the gallery during the hearing, but abruptly left as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R., Ga.) began speaking. The firebrand Republican called Hunter Biden a "coward" as he exited with Lowell in tow. Rep. Nancy Mace (R., S.C.) told Biden he had "no balls" for refusing to comply with previous subpoenas.
Biden pleaded not guilty to charges of felony tax evasion in California at a Thursday hearing. Special Counsel David Weiss indicted Hunter Biden last month on charges that he failed to pay taxes for several years on millions of dollars in foreign income. In lieu of paying his tax bill, Hunter Biden spent lavishly on sports cars, drugs, and prostitutes, according to prosecutors.
Republicans have zeroed in on Hunter Biden’s interactions with his father regarding his business activities. The president has repeatedly denied having any knowledge of his son’s activities, but there is growing evidence contradicting those claims. Several former Biden associates have said that Joe Biden attended business meetings with his son and Hunter Biden’s Chinese and Ukrainian business partners. Hunter Biden’s best friend, Devon Archer, told Congress last year that Hunter would often call his father on speakerphone during meetings with foreign clients.
A confidential FBI source has also provided evidence that Joe and Hunter Biden received millions in dollars in bribes from Ukrainian energy tycoon Mykola Zlochevsky in exchange for political favors. The president has vehemently denied the claim.
It is unclear whether Republicans will comply with Biden’s latest request for a new subpoena. The House plans to vote next week on contempt proceedings against Biden.