Hunter Biden will be in Washington, DC, on Wednesday – the same day that House Republicans subpoenaed him to appear for a closed-door deposition – setting up a potential showdown on Capitol Hill, according to multiple sources familiar with his plans.
It’s not yet clear if the president’s son is going to sit down and answer questions from lawmakers who want to interview him as part of their escalated impeachment inquiry.
While Hunter Biden, who lives in California, has already arrived in DC, there is still some internal debate among his advisors about exactly how he should handle the interview request, several sources tell CNN.
Hunter Biden’s lawyers have told the House Republicans on the Oversight and Judiciary committees that the he’s willing to testify on December 13 – but only if he can do so publicly. House Republicans are insisting they want to talk to him behind closed doors first.
House Republicans are prepared for Hunter Biden to appear for deposition as scheduled on Wednesday, a source familiar with the interview planning told CNN. Republicans have maintained that the president’s son must first appear for a deposition before proceeding with a public hearing, as the younger Biden’s legal team has demanded.
Cameras are set up to film the closed-door deposition, and lawyers have prepared hundreds of questions, but the committees have not heard anything from Biden’s legal team, the source added.
Since the subpoena, Hunter Biden has been charged with nine federal tax offenses in California. He also faces gun-related charges in Delaware. So far, Hunter’s lawyers have not pointed to his criminal exposure as a reason to avoid questions from the committee.
Hunter Biden’s attorney Abbe Lowell has written to Congress that he is worried comments from a closed-door deposition will be taken out of context. House Republicans have said filming the deposition and releasing the transcript would prevent that from happening.
If Biden does not show up on Wednesday, House Republicans have said they will move forward with holding him in contempt for evading the terms of his subpoena. The committee chairmen would have to hold a separate meeting to pass it out of committee in order for it to receive a full House vote.
“Chairmen James Comer and Jim Jordan have been clear: Hunter Biden must appear for his deposition on December 13 at 9:30 am, or they will initiate contempt of Congress proceedings,” an Oversight Committee spokesperson told CNN.
On Tuesday, Comer told CNN the plan is to sit in the committee room Wednesday morning and see if Hunter Biden appears.
“That’s the plan,” he said.
Comer said he hopes Hunter Biden shows and answers their questions.
“We have simple questions: what did you do to receive these millions of dollars from around the world and what role did your father play in all of this?” Comer told CNN on Tuesday.