He gave a public statement, not under oath, but refused to actually answer questions posed by impeachment officers under oath.
Hunter Biden arrived on Capitol Hill Wednesday, not to comply with his subpoena and be deposed at the House Oversight Committee, but to hold a press conference and again offer to testify publicly. He maintained that his father, President Biden "was not financially involved" in his business, and saying there is "no evidence because it did not happen."
Hunter Biden offer to testify publicly is a de facto rejection of the GOP demand that he appear Wednesday for the closed-door deposition he was subpoenaed for. That deposition was scheduled to take place Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
Instead, he delivered a public statement on Capitol Hill Wednesday, blasting "MAGA" Republicans who have "invaded" his privacy, "attacked" his family, and "ridiculed my struggle with addiction."
"They belittled my recovery, and they have tried to dehumanize me, all to embarrass my father, who has devoted his entire life to public service," the president's son said. "For six years I have been a target of the unrelenting Trump attack team. 'Where's Hunter?' Well, here's my answer. I am here."
Hunter Biden added that "my father was not financially involved in my business," saying he was not involved in his dealings with Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings, or his Chinese investments and others in the U.S.
"No evidence to support that my father was financially involved in my business because it did not happen," Hunter Biden said.
The White House and President Biden have maintained that the president was "never in business" with his son. Biden has also said he never spoke to his son about his business dealings, but evidence--like email records and testimony from Hunter Biden's former business partners--presented by House Republicans in their investigations seem to contradict those statements.
The president's son went on to blast House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Ways & Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo., who are co-leading the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden.
Hunter Biden said the chairmen had manipulated evidence and misstated personal information.
"Republicans have lied over and over about every aspect about my personal and professional life," Hunter Biden said. "So much so, that the false facts are believed by too many people."
He added: "They have taken the light of my dad's love for and presented it as darkness. They have no shame."
A FATHER'S LOVE!
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Comer and Jordan last week threatened to hold Biden in contempt of Congress if he defied the subpoena and failed to appear for his deposition.
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Hunter Biden's lawyer Abbe Lowell and the White House have argued that the subpoena was not valid because the House impeachment inquiry was never formalized by the full House of Representatives.
But a vote to do so is expected later Wednesday.
"We think it is going to pass," Jordan said. "We'll see what their excuse is then."
That sounds impotent to me -- what are you going to do when he stiffarms you again?
Oh. You're going to cite him for contempt.
Nevertheless, the floor vote is scheduled for today.
House Republicans are planning to move forward with holding a formal vote on the impeachment inquiry against President Biden Wednesday on the House floor after the Biden Administration and Hunter Biden himself refuse to cooperate with their investigation.
"This vote will allow the House Judiciary, Oversight and Ways and Means committees to continue their investigations. The evidence mounting against the president cannot be ignored," House Majority Whip Tom Emmer told reporters on Wednesday.
"We know Joe Biden has lied to or misled the American people about his knowledge of his son's business dealings over and over again, and it is very likely that he was involved in and benefited from his family's corrupt business dealings as well," he added.
Republicans point to Northern International Capital, an affiliate of a Chinese energy company, wiring $5 million to Hunter Biden's company Hudson West III in 2018. An IRS whistleblower has confirmed the payment. House Republicans have said President Biden subsequently received a $40,000 check classified as a loan repayment. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has said the $40,000 derived from China.
Emmer argued that the Biden administration "has been stonewalling" GOP-led House investigations.
"The Department of Justice has refused to allow two attorneys to testify before the Judiciary Committee. The White House sent Chairmen Comer and Jordan a letter stating they have no intention of complying with our subpoenas and requests for interviews without a formal vote," Emmer said.
"And the National Archives has withheld thousands of pages of documents and emails. It's clear the House will have to defend our lawful investigations in court and passing this resolution will put us in the best position possible to enforce our subpoenas and set forth a clear process," he added.
It is possible, maybe even likely, that this vote was scheduled for today knowing that Hunter would defy the subpeona. I've been worried that some weak-sister "Republican" fairies would refuse to vote for the impeachment inquiry; after all, that's why McCarthy started the inquiry without a vote for the impeachment. He had moderates and cucks whining that they didn't want to be paaaaartisaaaaan.
They just want to show how nonpartian they are by voting against Republicans.
But who knows, maybe with Hunter Biden saying "fuck you" to normal Congressional process, even these absolute intolerable cementheads and shitmonkeys will actually do the right thing and vote for impeachment.
I mean, vote for the impeachment investigation. It's just an investigation now.