Two U.S. House of Representatives committees, both under Republican control, are set to conduct initial procedural votes on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, to determine whether to pursue contempt of Congress charges against Hunter Biden, son of Democratic President Joe Biden. This move is part of House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry into President Biden, asserting allegations of improper financial gains by the Biden family from policy actions during Joe Biden’s tenure as vice president from 2009 to 2017. Both the White House and Hunter Biden deny any wrongdoing.
The House Oversight Committee had issued a subpoena for Hunter Biden to appear for a closed-door deposition on December 13 as part of the inquiry. While Hunter Biden expressed willingness to testify publicly, the panel insisted on a private deposition in addition to any public testimony. On the scheduled deposition day, Hunter Biden appeared outside the Capitol to make public remarks but did not attend the closed-door interview.
The committee report states, “Mr. Biden’s flagrant defiance of the Committees’ deposition subpoenas – while choosing to appear nearby on the Capitol grounds to read a prepared statement on the same matters – is contemptuous, and he must be held accountable.”
Typically, after a committee vote, the full House holds a vote to direct the certification of contempt to a U.S. attorney. The Congressional Research Service notes that enforcement of contempt statutes issued by Congress is generally handled by the Justice Department.
Since 2008, the House has held 10 individuals in contempt of Congress, with the Justice Department seeking indictments for only two: Stephen Bannon and Peter Navarro, both advisers to former President Donald Trump. Bannon was sentenced to four months in prison (pending appeal), and Navarro was convicted in September 2023.
Notably, there is no recorded instance of a sitting president’s family member being held in contempt of Congress, according to a Congressional Research Service report covering contempt resolutions dating back to 1980. Contempt of Congress is subject to fines up to $100,000 and imprisonment for one to 12 months.
(Reuters)
