During a hearing this Wednesday of the House Judiciary Committee, which is led in this Congress by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), panel member Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) ripped the GOP’s ambitions of going after the president’s son Hunter Biden for ostensibly falling short of subpoena compliance.
“To me, it seems like you believe we all had our memories wiped 608 days ago when you failed to honor your own subpoena,” Swalwell said, referring to unfulfilled demands for Jordan’s cooperation from the House committee that investigated January 6.
The Californian then emphasized how the younger Biden has expressed willingness to answer questions from involved committee members publicly — a prospect that Republicans leading the attempt at an investigation have refused. A concern spurring some away from the possibility of the GOP conducting a private questioning session is that bad faith actors — meaning House members with an agenda — could essentially start establishing a narrative around whatever Hunter Biden said without the specific facts actually made available to the public.
Swalwell repeatedly asked whether the proceedings, led by Jordan, were a “joke.” “This whole Congress has been a joke, so it would be in line and on brand with what has been taking place. But I have to ask it. How dumb do you think the American people are that you would seek to hold someone in contempt when you are 608 days, 15 hours, 21 minutes, and 47 seconds out of compliance of your own subpoena?” Swalwell inquired.
Republicans have been examining Hunter’s various business dealings in search of potential connections implicating the president, though some aren’t waiting for any evidence. In a recent video message posted online, former President Donald Trump directly accused the older Biden, meaning the current president, of raking in millions of dollars from foreign sources, something for which the specific evidence is absent. Trump’s own businesses raked in millions of dollars in payments from foreign government interests during his time in office, details recently publicized by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee indicated.
Judiciary Committee is trying to hold Hunter Biden in contempt. I reminded Chairman Jordan that the Chairman is *608 days* out of compliance of his own subpoena. Keep your side of the street clean before you go at anyone else’s. pic.twitter.com/QMzKTSuWRB
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) January 10, 2024