Embattled first son Hunter Biden crashed and then left a Wednesday House committee hearing as legislators were considering whether to hold him in contempt of Congress.
Biden showed up unannounced to the hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability after he ignored a congressional subpoena for him to appear in a private deposition, insisting he would only appear in public, for which the committee weighed holding him in contempt. Republicans on the committee slammed Biden for his Wednesday surprise visit.
"My first question is: Who bribed Hunter Biden to be here today? That's my first question," said Rep. Nancy Mace (R., S.C.). "Second question: You are the epitome of white privilege—coming into the oversight committee, spitting in our face, ignoring a congressional subpoena to be deposed. What are you afraid of? You have no balls."
After Mace spoke, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, (D., Fl.) asked for a vote to "hear from Hunter right now, today." After he observed that most or all Democrats on the panel and few Republicans raised their hands, Moskowitz said "the majority of my colleagues over there—including the chairman—don't want to hear from the witness with the American people watching."
"I've said repeatedly, after the deposition, Mr. Biden can come in front of a public hearing," committee chairman James Comer (R., Ky.) responded.
After Moskowitz finished speaking, Comer recognized Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R., Ga.), prompting Biden to leave the room.
"Excuse me, Hunter, apparently you're afraid of my words," Greene said.
Biden's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, who appeared with the president's son, then gave a statement to the press.
"Hunter Biden was and is a private citizen. Despite this, Republicans have sought to use him as a surrogate to attack his father," Lowell said, according to The Hill. "The Republican chairs today then are commandeering an unprecedented resolution to hold someone in contempt who has offered to publicly answer all their proper questions. The question there is, what are they afraid of?"
Biden in December showed up to Capitol Hill to make a statement to the press, but he ditched the closed-door deposition scheduled for immediately after, an action for which he faces the possibility of being held in contempt by House Republicans.
"Republicans do not want an open process where Americans can see their tactics, expose their baseless inquiry, or hear what I have to say," Biden said in his statement. "What are they afraid of? I am here."