Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, is set to finally testify at the Capitol on February 28 behind closed doors, following a new request from a House of Representatives committee. This comes as the committee has opened an investigation to gather evidence for a potential political prosecution, or impeachment, of the president.
Hunter Biden had previously volunteered to appear at a public session, expressing concerns that his statement could be manipulated and distorted by Republicans if the public couldn’t witness it. The Republican chairman of the commission had stated that Hunter Biden could choose between a closed-door deposition or a public appearance.
However, when push came to shove, Republicans did not want the session to be public, and Hunter Biden refused to testify behind closed doors. The commission, in turn, decided to report Hunter Biden for contempt.
In January, during a session to debate his refusal to appear, the president’s son showed up unexpectedly at the Capitol. Democrats offered to have him testify, but the Republicans refused. The plenary session had to rule on whether Hunter Biden has been in contempt, but before the issue could be escalated further, he agreed to accept a new subpoena now that the investigation has the support of the plenary session.
Rep. James Comer, chairman of the Oversight Committee, has stated that Hunter Biden will be able to testify publicly at some point after his closed-door testimony.
Republicans are attempting to find evidence that Joe Biden profited from his son’s foreign business dealings while he was vice president. This investigation contrasts sharply with their defense of Donald Trump’s companies receiving money from foreign governments and companies while he was president.
Last November, Hunter Biden gave a speech at the Capitol expressing his frustrations with being targeted by Republicans. He vehemently denied any financial involvement by his father in his businesses and highlighted his family’s support during his struggles with addiction.
In addition to the political scrutiny, Hunter Biden is also facing legal troubles, including alleged crimes for buying and possessing a gun when he was a drug addict, as well as alleged tax fraud. These legal issues reflect the ongoing challenges he faces due to his past struggles with addiction.
The upcoming closed-door testimony by Hunter Biden will likely be the focus of significant attention as the investigation into his father’s involvement in his business dealings continues.