Hunter Biden shocked Republicans on Wednesday, after unexpectedly arriving at a House hearing on the charges of contempt of Congress against him.
The Oversight Committee was meeting to consider a resolution to hold the president’s son in contempt for defying a House subpoena.
Cameras blazed as he strode into the room with his attorney, Abbe Lowell.Republicans appeared angered by the move, with Rep Nancy Mace accusing him of “white privilege”.
“I think that Hunter Biden should be arrested right here, right now, and go straight to jail,” the South Carolina congresswoman said.
“Our nation is founded on the rule of law and the premise that the law applies equally to everyone, no matter what your last name is.
“Mr Biden exited Congress without speaking at the hearing shortly after, leaving as right-wing Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene began to speak.
The Oversight Committee is planning to consider the contempt resolution on Wednesday morning. Its passage through that body is the first step toward it being considered by the wider House.
The 53-year-old’s lawyer, Mr Lowell, who accompanied him, reprimanded Republicans for using Mr Biden as a “surrogate to attack his father”, President Joe Biden.
Hunter Biden was subpoenaed to testify privately about his business dealings for the impeachment case against his father last year.
In November, he told House Republicans that he was willing to testify to the Oversight Committee, but only if it was a public hearing. His counsel, Mr Lowell, said it would “let the light shine” on the proceedings.
Republicans refused, and instead Mr Biden made a rare in-person statement outside the Capitol on the day he was to appear before Congress. He slammed Republicans, alleging they had “distorted the facts” and called for a public hearing.
The younger Biden is also facing charges for possession of a gun while being an admitted drug addict and for lying on a federal form.
He has previously said he would testify before the House but only in a public setting.
