Hunter Biden made an appearance during Wednesday's House Oversight Committee and left abruptly when Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene was given the floor.
The president's son has long been a target of investigation by House Republicans over his alleged financial dealings, for which congressional conservatives purport that Joe and Hunter Biden benefited from overseas transactions involving individuals from countries including Ukraine, China, Russia, Romania and Kazakhstan. Last month, Hunter called the allegations against him "baseless."
Hunter showed up Wednesday as House Republicans intended to hold him in contempt for defying a congressional subpoena last month over allegations he has called "baseless."
The Oversight and Judiciary committees are meeting to vote to recommend contempt charges to the entire House, which if taken up and approved would give the authority to the Department of Justice on whether Hunter should be prosecuted.
Hunter Biden (second from right), son of President Joe Biden, and his lawyer, Abbe Lowell (right), attend a House Oversight Committee meeting on January 10, 2024, in Washington, D.C. The committee was meeting as it considers citing Hunter Biden for contempt of Congress. Hunter walked out when Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene began questioning. Kent Nishimura/Getty Images
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer gave time for Greene, a congresswoman from Georgia, to question Hunter Biden on Wednesday. Video shows Hunter Biden immediately tap the arm of his attorney, Abbe Lowell, which led to the pair and other legal defense staff to stand and exit the chamber.
"Excuse me, Hunter. Apparently you're afraid of my words," Greene can be heard saying as cameras observed Hunter leaving the scene.
Hunter Biden walks out on Marjorie Taylor Greene pic.twitter.com/6z28xG6ly6 — Acyn (@Acyn) January 10, 2024
"Hunter Biden just walked in our Oversight hearing to hold him in contempt," she wrote afterwards on X, formerly Twitter. "Hunter can't follow the law! Showing up after he's broken the law by violating his subpoena is not following the law, Hunter must follow the law!! All Hunter has done is break the law."
Greene spokesperson Nick Dyer referred Newsweek to another Greene post, in which she wrote: "Hunter Biden traffics women for sex but ran away when I was recognized to speak to him. The only women Hunter Biden likes to deal with are the women he hires for sex, flies across the country, films and photos his disgusting porn with, and post his nasty videos on porn sites.
"Hunter can't handle being held accountable for the crimes he has committed."
A spokesperson for Lowell provided Newsweek a statement on his behalf, part of which he told gathered press outside the committee room.
"Hunter Biden was and is a private citizen," Lowell said. "Despite this, Republicans have sought to use him as a surrogate to attack his father. And, despite their improper partisan motives, on six occasions (from February to today) we have offered to work with the House committees to see what and how relevant information to any legitimate inquiry could be provided."
The first such offer included a February 2, 2023, letter to Comer and his committee to meet in person or call to discuss issues the committee was interested in, Lowell said, followed by four additional letters sent in June, September, November and December.
Hunter Biden's presence on Wednesday was meant to signify an offer to testify, Lowell said.
He claimed that those first five offers to work with the committees were "ignored," which was followed by the issuance of a subpoena in November for a closed-door deposition—which the longtime defense attorney described as "a tactic Republicans have repeatedly misused in their political crusade to selectively leak and mischaracterize what witnesses have said."
"Ignoring that invitation and proving again that they cared little for the truth and wanted only to 'move the needle of political support' that Chairman Comer confessed was his purpose, the Republican chairs have today commandeered an unprecedented resolution to hold someone in contempt who has offered to publicly answer all their proper questions," Lowell added. "What are they afraid of?
Comer and his committee characterized Hunter Biden's behavior as "fleeing" a hearing in which his alleged transgressions were front and center.
"The President's son isn't above the law," Comer wrote on X afterwards. "Hunter's willful refusal to comply with the Committees' subpoenas is a criminal act. All Americans must be treated equally under the law. And that includes the Bidens."
Newsweek reached out to Comer via email for comment.
The contentious meeting included other vitriolic back-and-forth discussion among committee members.
"You are the epitome of white privilege, coming into the Oversight Committee, spitting in our face, ignoring a congressional subpoena to be deposed," Republican Representative Nancy Mace said. "What are you afraid of? You have no balls."
At least one Democrat took umbrage regarding her comment about white privilege, which Mace, a white woman, attempted to explain in response.
"Our investigation has produced significant evidence suggesting President Biden knew of, participated in, and benefited from his family cashing in on the Biden name," read a joint statement from House Oversight Chairman James Comer of Kentucky and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio issued on Friday in anticipation of Wednesday's proceedings.
Update 01/10/24, 11:42 a.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from Marjorie Taylor Greene and Abbe Lowell, and additional information.