Donald Trump criticized the Democrats in Congress, accusing them of issuing subpoenas to his family under the influence of the Biden administration. He claimed his family, innocent of any wrongdoing, was deposed for a total of 18 hours based on what he called false accusations related to Russia and Fake News. Trump argued that Hunter Biden should face similar scrutiny and emphasized the need for Republicans in Congress to address alleged Biden crimes and corruption.
He criticized the Department of Justice (DOJ), FBI, and IRS for purportedly turning a blind eye to Biden-related issues. Trump concluded by urging the Bidens to honor subpoenas from the House Oversight Committee, citing his family’s compliance with similar requests. The statement was posted on Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform on December 7, 2024, at 12:33 AM EST.
CNN’s senior legal analyst Elie Honig provided a straightforward assessment, stating that there is “zero chance” that Hunter Biden would be prosecuted for contempt of Congress. The discussion unfolded as CNN monitored the New York City courthouse where former President Donald Trump was expected to appear.
Anchor John Berman seized the opportunity to inquire about the impeachment inquiry into Hunter Biden, specifically regarding the threat of holding him in contempt of Congress if he didn’t agree to testify in a closed-door deposition. Despite Hunter Biden and his legal team offering to testify publicly before Congress, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee Rep. James Comer rejected this option.
Honig analyzed the situation, highlighting what he perceived as a misstep by Comer. He explained that Comer had served a subpoena on Hunter Biden, demanding testimony behind closed doors. In response, Hunter Biden and his team expressed their willingness to testify publicly, an offer that Comer declined. Honig questioned who had something to hide in this scenario.
The legal analyst continued to outline the process, explaining that if the House of Representatives were to hold Hunter Biden in contempt, it would require a majority vote of the full House. However, he emphasized that there is a “zero percent chance” that the Department of Justice (DOJ) would criminally prosecute Hunter Biden or any individual for contempt of Congress when the person is willing to testify publicly.
Honig concluded that if a contempt finding were to occur, it would be symbolic and carry no actual legal consequences. The analysis underscored the potential flaws in the approach taken by Comer and the House Oversight Committee in handling Hunter Biden’s testimony.
