Hunter Biden's lawyer says again that president's son will only testify publicly

NPR | By Washington desk

Published December 6, 2023 at 9:01 AM EST

Hunter Biden's lawyer reiterated that the president's son will only testify publicly before the House Oversight Committee.

Hunter Biden, the president's son, is reiterating that his testimony before Congress will only be public.

In a letter to Rep. James Comer, the Kentucky Republican who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Biden's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said the offer to testify publicly was in response to Comer's own remarks on at least three occasions. Comer previously rejected Biden's Nov. 28 offer to publicly testify before his panel, saying any testimony would have to be behind closed doors.

"As indicated in my November 28, 2023, letter, Mr. Biden has offered to appear at a hearing on the December 13, 2023, date you have reserved, or another date this month, to answer any question pertinent and relevant to the subject matter stated in your November 8, 2023, letter," Lowell wrote. "He is making this choice because the Committee has demonstrated time and again it uses closed-door sessions to manipulate, even distort, the facts and misinform the American public—a hearing would ensure transparency and truth in these proceedings."

The development comes as House Republicans inch closer to a vote to officially begin an impeachment inquiry into President Biden. Last month, Comer sent subpoenas to Hunter Biden, the president's brother James Biden and other family members and business associates, directing them to appear for depositions and transcribed interviews – one more sign the impeachment inquiry into the president was entering a new phase.

The subpoenas direct Hunter Biden to appear for a deposition on December 13 and James Biden on December 6.

House Republicans have raised questions about what they say are Hunter Biden's questionable business dealings, and have made him a key part of their impeachment inquiry into the president, though there is no evidence yet of illegal activity on the part of the president.

Still, the controversy surrounding the younger Biden does appear to be registering with the public. An NPR poll from early October shows that 63% of respondents believe President Biden has done something unethical or illegal in relation to his son's business dealings. The split is along partisan lines: Nine in 10 Republicans think Biden's done something wrong. Only 1 in 3 Democrats do.