Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has agreed to appear for a closed-door deposition with House Republicans who are investigating his international business dealings. The deposition is scheduled for February 28, after months of resistance from Hunter Biden and his legal team.
Hunter Biden’s role in impeachment inquiry
House Republicans launched an impeachment inquiry into President Biden in December 2023, accusing him of abusing his power and obstructing Congress by pressuring Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden and his involvement with Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company. The Republicans claim that President Biden withheld military aid and a White House meeting from Ukraine unless it announced a probe into his son and his political rival, former President Donald Trump.
Hunter Biden served on the board of Burisma from 2014 to 2019, earning up to $50,000 a month, despite having no prior experience in the energy sector. He has admitted that his last name was a factor in his appointment, but denied any wrongdoing or influence-peddling. He also said he never discussed his business activities with his father, who was then vice president under Barack Obama.
Hunter Biden’s deposition agreement
Hunter Biden was subpoenaed by the House Oversight and Judiciary committees on December 13, 2023, to testify in a closed-door deposition as part of the impeachment inquiry. However, he refused to comply, citing his constitutional rights and demanding a public hearing instead. He also accused the Republicans of conducting a “sham investigation” and a “political stunt” to smear his father and distract from the issues facing the country.
The House Republicans threatened to hold Hunter Biden in criminal contempt of Congress for defying the subpoena, and were preparing to advance a resolution to the House floor this week. But on Friday, January 18, 2024, Hunter Biden’s legal team sent a letter to the committees, asking them to issue a new subpoena and offering to cooperate with the deposition under certain conditions. The letter also stated that Hunter Biden had no relevant information or documents to provide to the inquiry.
After several days of negotiations, the two parties reached an agreement on Thursday, January 19, 2024, for Hunter Biden to appear for a deposition on February 28, 2024. The House Republicans announced the agreement in a joint statement, saying that they look forward to Hunter Biden’s testimony. They also said that his deposition will come after several interviews with Biden family members and associates, without providing any details.
Hunter Biden’s legal troubles
Hunter Biden’s deposition is not the only legal challenge he is facing. He is also under investigation by the Justice Department for his tax affairs and foreign business transactions, including his dealings with China. He revealed the investigation in December 2023, saying that he learned about it for the first time from his lawyer. He said he was confident that he handled his affairs legally and appropriately, and that he would cooperate fully with the authorities.
Hunter Biden has also been involved in a paternity lawsuit with a former stripper, Lunden Roberts, who claimed that he fathered her child in 2018. Hunter Biden initially denied the allegation, but a DNA test confirmed that he was the biological father. He reached a settlement with Roberts in March 2020, agreeing to pay child support and legal fees. He also married Melissa Cohen, a South African filmmaker, in May 2019, just 10 days after meeting her.
Hunter Biden has been a source of controversy and criticism for his father, who has repeatedly defended him and expressed his love and support for him. President Biden has also dismissed the impeachment inquiry as a “witch hunt” and a “hoax”, and said that he did nothing wrong in his dealings with Ukraine. He has accused the Republicans of trying to undermine his presidency and distract from his agenda, which includes tackling the Covid-19 pandemic, the economic recovery, and the climate crisis.
