Republicans pause push to hold Hunter Biden in contempt
WASHINGTON >> House Republicans on Tuesday halted plans to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress, with the head of the House Rules Committee saying conversations between lawmakers and attorneys for the president’s son were ongoing.
The panel was scheduled Tuesday to tee up for floor action two measures that recommended the House hold the president’s son in contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas last month, when he failed to appear for a closed-door deposition.
But House Rules Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., on Tuesday said the panel would not be taking testimony on the reports, one from the House Oversight and Accountability Committee and another from the House Judiciary Committee.
“I understand that conversations between Mr. Biden’s attorneys and the Oversight and Judiciary committees are ongoing, and we will not meet tonight on this matter while discussions about this compliance remain open,” Cole said. “However, should those conversations not prove successful, our Rules committee may reconvene this week to consider those reports.”
The pause extends the showdown between House Republicans and Hunter Biden over whether he will sit for a deposition. House Republicans have aimed for months to connect the president with his son’s business dealings and have investigated alleged influence peddling from Hunter Biden when Joe Biden was vice president.
In a letter dated Friday, Hunter Biden’s attorney informed lawmakers that his client would comply with a deposition if a “new proper subpoena” was issued, and lawmakers over the weekend said they were prepared to issue subpoenas for a deposition.