A House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing turned intense on Wednesday as a Republican lawmaker openly confronted Hunter Biden, the son of US President Joe Biden, after he made a surprising appearance during the hearing.
The shocking showdown involved Rep. Nancy Mace from South Carolina and unfolded as the hearing was due to address a contempt resolution against Hunter for not complying with an earlier subpoena. Within seconds of Hunter's arrival into the chamber, proceedings quickly escalated into a fiery exchange between lawmakers.
Mace challenged Biden's defiance of the congressional subpoena and criticized him for his apparent lack of respect for legal processes, which led to a sharp interjection from Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), who suggested an immediate vote to allow Biden to testify publicly.
"Hunter Biden broke the law. He did so deliberately, you did so flagrantly, you showed up on the hill on the Senate side the day of that congressional subpoena to defy it and spit in the face of this committee... Why can’t you show up for a congressional deposition? You’re here for a political stunt. This is just a PR stunt to you, this is just a game you are playing with the American people. You’re playing with the truth," stated Mace.
The hearing became chaotic with multiple interruptions and attempts by Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) to restore order. Amidst the commotion, Mace emphasized the importance of equal application of the law, irrespective of one's family name, and suggested Hunter Biden should be arrested.
Hunter, in his defense, stated that his business activities were independent of his father's financial involvement. The statement came amidst the House GOP's broader investigation into President Biden.
The commander-in-chief's son ultimately departed the House committee meeting just as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) took the floor.
Not long after the chaotic scenes broke out, the US House Judiciary Committee cleared its own separate contempt resolution against Hunter, allowing it to proceed to the full House. The Oversight committee's measure was given clearance shortly after with a vote of 25 to 21.