Hunter Biden bursts into a committee meeting in the House of Representatives. There is a debate there about whether he should go to court.
A surprise appearance in the House of Representatives by Hunter Biden, the son of the US President, caused widespread outrage among Republicans. The 53-year-old appeared on Wednesday without announcement during the opening statements at a public meeting of the control committee – and took a seat in the front row together with his lawyer. The panel wants to charge Hunter Biden with contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena to a closed-door hearing on the impeachment inquiry against his father, US President Joe Biden.
His unexpected appearance caused chaotic scenes. Several Republicans felt provoked by Hunter Biden’s appearance, and two MPs called him a coward. The committee chairman had difficulty restoring order to the meeting at times.
Hunter Biden, who is facing charges including possible tax crimes, had refused to testify before the committee behind closed doors, but offered to testify in a public hearing at the end of last year. The president’s son and his lawyers argued that what was said in a protected space could be selectively reproduced by the Republicans and that Hunter Biden’s statements could thus be manipulated. He therefore insisted on only testifying publicly.
Republicans’ goal: remove Joe Biden from office
Many Republicans associate Hunter Biden’s business with the US President. The Republicans in the chamber are pushing ahead with investigations into possible impeachment proceedings against Joe Biden. They accuse the Democrat of abusing his public office for the financial benefit of his family. However, they have not yet provided clear evidence of serious misconduct. It is questionable whether the investigation could actually result in impeachment proceedings.
The Control Committee and the Judiciary Committee each want to vote on whether Hunter Biden should be tried for contempt of Congress. The full House of Representatives would then have to decide whether to recommend criminal prosecution. A decision on possible charges based on the allegations would ultimately rest with the Ministry of Justice.
