Hunter Biden reverses course, agrees to sit for deposition in father's impeachment inquiry

In a dramatic about-face, Hunter Biden's lawyers told Congress on Friday that the first son will agree to sit for a deposition or public hearing in his father's impeachment inquiry.

Attorney Abbe Lowell informed House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of his client's decision, but asked that a new subpoena be issued since Congress formally approved an impeachment inquiry since Hunter Biden was first asked to be interviewed.

"If you issue a new proper subpoena, now that there is a duly authorized impeachment inquiry, Mr. Biden will comply for a hearing or deposition," Lowell wrote. "We will accept such a subpoena on Mr. Biden’s behalf."

Last week, House Republicans under Comer’s leadership moved to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress over his failure to appear for a closed-door deposition under subpoena from the committees.

Instead, the first son appeared outside of the Capitol to denounce the Republican impeachment inquiry into his father and his family’s foreign business dealings. He also pointedly refused to appear for the closed-door interview and demanded a public hearing.

The news from Hunter Biden's lawyer comes as Rep. Steve Scalise, the GOP House Majority Leader, announced on Friday in a post to X that the chamber would take a vote to hold Hunter Biden in contempt after the Oversight and Judiciary Committees approved the resolution earlier this week along party lines.

On Friday, Comer and Jordan said they are "heartened" that Hunter Biden plans to comply with future subpoenas, however, they plan to move forward with efforts to hold him in contempt until the details of his appearance are solidified. 

“House Republicans have been resolute in demanding Hunter Biden sit for a deposition in the ongoing impeachment inquiry. While we are heartened that Hunter Biden now says he will comply with a subpoena, make no mistake: Hunter Biden has already defied two valid, lawful subpoenas," Comer and Jordan said in a joint statement released on Friday. 

“For now, the House of Representatives will move forward with holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress until such time that Hunter Biden confirms a date to appear for a private deposition in accordance with his legal obligation," they continued.

"While we will work to schedule a deposition date, we will not tolerate any additional stunts or delay from Hunter Biden. The American people will not tolerate, and the House will not provide, special treatment for the Biden family.”