President Joe Biden is on the record saying that anyone who defies a congressional subpoena should be criminally prosecuted — but does that also apply to his son, who flagrantly ignored a House of Representatives subpoena?
Biden made the stern recommendation two years ago, when he thought his suggested punishment would apply to supporters of former President Donald Trump. Their testimony was sought by the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol incursion.
Now, the 81-year-old career politician’s own words are coming back to haunt him.
“What’s your message to people who defy congressional subpoenas on the Jan. 6 committee?” a reporter asked Biden on the South Lawn of the White House on Oct. 15, 2021.
“I hope that the committee goes after them and holds them accountable criminally,” he replied.
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The reporter followed up, “Should they be prosecuted by the Justice Department?”
“I do, yes,” the president said empathetically.
2021: Biden says those who defy congressional subpoenas should be “criminally” prosecuted pic.twitter.com/dFswp2SvEy
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 13, 2023
On Wednesday, Hunter Biden ignored a House of Representatives subpoena.
He was scheduled to be deposed before the House Oversight and Judiciary committees to answer questions about the alleged influence-peddling scheme involving his father.
Instead, the president’s son held a news conference outside the Capitol.
Hours after Hunter’s defiant action, House Oversight Chairman James Comer and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan announced they would start contempt of Congress proceedings against him.
🚨Only an arrogant & entitled person would pull a publicity stunt like we saw from Hunter Biden.
The President’s son travelled to the U.S. Capitol Building to publicly defy a lawful congressional subpoena.
Hunter isn’t above the law. We must hold him in contempt of Congress. pic.twitter.com/g3M0VCp6Yv
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) December 14, 2023
“Hunter Biden today defied lawful subpoenas and we will now initiate contempt of Congress proceedings,” the Republican congressmen said in a joint statement Wednesday. “We will not provide special treatment because his last name is Biden.”
Numerous frustrated commenters expressed concern that the president’s son would escape unscathed.
“Nothing will happen. It never does,” one person wrote on X.
Nothing will happen. It never does.
— Nine Foot Couch (@9FootCouch) December 13, 2023
— Fweedom🇺🇸 (@Fweedom5) December 14, 2023
Let me translate that for you..
2021: Biden says… “Those who defy congressional subpoenas should be “criminally” prosecuted, unless of course those defying congress are Democrat, liberal, share the name Biden, well… you know the deal.”
— Scott Mitchell (@ScottMit99) December 13, 2023
In October 2022, former Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon was sentenced to four years in jail after being convicted of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena. He has appealed.
Why shouldn’t Hunter Biden be similarly punished?
Should Hunter Biden be prosecuted for ignoring the subpoena?
On Wednesday, the GOP-controlled House also launched an impeachment inquiry of the president.
“President Biden and his family must be held accountable for their corruption and obstruction,” Comer and Jordan said. “And we will provide that to the American people.”
A mountain of circumstantial evidence suggests Joe Biden abused his power and profited from the numerous lucrative deals Hunter Biden arranged with foreign entities during the elder Biden’s two-term vice presidency.
The House Oversight Committee details much of that evidence in a “Bidens’ Influence-Peddling Timeline” on its website.
“Records obtained through the Committee’s subpoenas to date reveal that the Bidens and their associates have received over $20 million in payments from foreign entities,” it says.
If Democrats had this kind of ammunition against the Trump family, would they waste even a second prosecuting them to the fullest extent of the law?
