(DCWatchdog.com) – The day has finally arrived for Hunter Biden as he is set to be deposed behind closed doors today, after months of avoiding talking to House investigators.
This is a key moment in the ongoing House impeachment investigation into Joe Biden, his father.
Hunter finally agreed to the interview, under oath, only after he was threatened with contempt of Congress charges for not complying with a congressional subpoena.
He had previously expressed concerns about testifying privately, worried that House Republicans might not fully share what he says.
Unlike the interview with Hunter’s uncle, James Biden, Hunter’s session will not be recorded. However, CNN reports that those familiar with the process say the transcript of the interview will be made public soon after.
This testimony is a big deal for the impeachment inquiry, focusing on Hunter’s foreign business dealings and how much his father knew or was involved.
The timing is crucial as the Justice Department recently indicted Alexander Smirnov, a former FBI informant. Smirnov’s allegations against Joe and Hunter Biden were part of the reason the impeachment inquiry started. He claimed Ukrainian entities paid the Bidens millions in bribes, but now he’s been charged with making up part of his story.
Despite this, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., says there’s enough evidence to keep going with the inquiry without Smirnov’s input.
Comer told the media in a long statement that “The House Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means Committees have unearthed a record of evidence revealing Joe Biden was ‘the brand’ his family sold to enrich the Bidens. Joe Biden knew of, participated in, and benefited from these schemes. Joe Biden attended dinners, spoke on speakerphone, showed up to meetings, and had coffee with his son’s foreign business associates. In fact, we’ve documented how Joe Biden has met with nearly all of his son’s foreign business associates as they were collectively funneling millions to the Bidens. Our committees have the opportunity to depose Hunter Biden, a key witness in our impeachment inquiry of President Joe Biden, about this record of evidence. This deposition is not the conclusion of the impeachment inquiry. There are more subpoenas and witness interviews to come. We will continue to follow the facts to inform legislative reforms to federal ethics laws and determine whether articles of impeachment are warranted.”
The committees will start with Hunter’s private testimony but plan to hold public hearings with him and other witnesses later on.
In an interview Hunter shared his worries about the impact a potential relapse in his sobriety could have, especially with the upcoming general election where Donald Trump could be running against his father.
“You have to believe that you’re worth the work, or you’ll never be able to get sober, but I often do think of the profound consequences of failure here,” he said. Hunter views staying sober as not just a personal battle but as part of a larger fight for democracy.
Joe Biden is worried sick about the fate of his son who could face up to 17 years of prison for all the crimes he’s accused of.
Insiders claim Joe Biden thinks these charges wouldn’t have been brought if he hadn’t decided to run for reelection in 2024.
