Hunter Biden refuses to attend public House hearing with former business partners

Hunter Biden is refusing to attend a public House hearing scheduled for March 20 alongside some of his former business associates who have been critical of him. 

Neither the first son nor his attorney could attend the hearing on March 20 due to a court date the next day in California. "The scheduling conflict is the least of the issues, however," Biden attorney Abbe Lowell told House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., in a letter Wednesday.

"If you are serious about pursuing this oversight purpose in a legitimate and bipartisan fashion, you would hold a hearing with relatives of former President Trump about whom you indicated you 'would ask.' If you do, Mr. Biden would consider an invitation for that event," Lowell wrote.

Lowell was referring to how during the deposition, Hunter Biden asked about the Trump family's financial dealings, and how Comer said he would ask the Trump family about it.  

Hunter Biden had said in November that he would only testify before the Oversight Committee if the hearing were public, although Comer said that he could have a closed-door meeting first followed by a public one. After House Republicans began moving forward with the process to hold the first son in contempt of Congress for defying a congressional subpoena, Hunter Biden agreed to appear for a closed-door deposition and the transcript from it was released last month.

President Joe Biden's son was set to testify next Wednesday alongside former business partners Devon Archer, Tony Bobulinski, and Jason Galanis.

Comer criticized Hunter Biden's flip on attending a public hearing and said that portions of his testimony contradict that of his three former associates. 

"Hunter Biden for months stated he wanted a public hearing, but now that one has been offered alongside his business associates that he worked with for years, he is refusing to come," Comer said.

"Next week's hearing with Hunter Biden and his associates is moving forward and we fully expect Hunter Biden to participate."

While Lowell did not say whether Hunter Biden would agree to a public hearing alone, he called the hearing a "carnival side show" because of Comer's choice of witnesses scheduled to appear alongside the first son.

Lowell called the witnesses "discredited," and he attacked the credibility of Bobulinski and Galanis, notably leaving out Archer. 

"Tony Bobulinski falsely stated to the FBI that he attended meetings that he was not at," Lowell wrote. "Jason Galanis, who makes grandiose conclusions about the involvement of Mr. Biden's father, is serving 14 years in prison for his lies and fraud." 

Galanis was sentenced to prison in 2020 for his role in a market manipulation scheme.

Bobulinski, for his part, challenged Hunter to attend in a statement:

Joe Biden and Hunter Biden, along with countless members of Congress, keep claiming that they are 'fighting for our Democracy.' Why don't we as a nation agree to fight for the truth! Nearly three-quarters of the American people believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, and I can’t blame them. Truth and transparency would help expose the rot at the center of our political system and begin to fix what ails us.
 
One week from today – on Wednesday, March 20 – I will testify publicly before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. I am excited and happy to have the opportunity to once again share the facts with the American people. I am deeply committed to getting the full truth before the nation. To that end, why not have all participants in the hearing be subject to polygraphs, with real time results to be viewed by the American people? What better way to ensure that the truth is being told by every witness, including Joe, Hunter and Jim Biden in any future potential hearings.

I was disappointed to see the news today that Hunter is running away from his chance to tell the American people the truth. He’s been adamant in wanting to go before the American people, and Oversight is now giving him that opportunity. Now is the time to step up, Hunter, as you have said you want to do. Don’t cower in the face of accountability and in this fight for truth and democracy! If by chance March 20th really doesn't work due to your multiple criminal indictments, please name the date and time and I will be happy to join you at a second hearing for the American people.

Let the facts and truth prevail! God Bless America!

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