White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to clarify during a press briefing Wednesday what role President Joe Biden played in his son’s impromptu trip to Capitol Hill.
While the House Oversight Committee debated holding Hunter Biden in contempt Wednesday, the first son made an unexpected appearance in the hearing before hastily leaving moments later. After previously saying President Biden was familiar with his son’s decision to defy a congressional subpoena, Jean-Pierre wouldn’t say if the president was familiar with what his son would do Wednesday. (RELATED: White House ‘Deceived’ The American People About Hunter Biden Art Deals, Comer Says)
“Was the White House informed in advance that Hunter Biden would be showing up at the House Oversight Committee’s hearing on Capitol Hill today?” a reporter asked.
“So here is what I’ll say, and I’ve said this many times before. Hunter as you all know is a private citizen. He’s not a member of this White House. He makes his own decisions like he did today about how to respond to Congress, and so I would refer you for any further questions, any additional questions about this process, I would refer you to Hunter’s representatives,” Jean-Pierre responded.
“Fully [inaudible] that he makes his own decisions, but my question was about if the White House was informed about this,” the reporter followed up.
“Again, I would say that I don’t have any — we don’t have anything else to share beyond that. He is a private citizen, and he makes his own decisions as it relates to this particular response, this particular response to Congress. That is something that he decides on, and I would refer you to his representatives,” Jean-Pierre said.
House Republicans on the Oversight and Judiciary Committees advised the House on Tuesday to hold Hunter Biden in contempt for refusing to show up for a closed-door deposition Dec. 13 and defying a Congressional subpoena. Instead of agreeing to a closed-door deposition, the first son showed up outside of the Capitol and gave a press conference slamming Republicans’ impeachment inquiry into his father. Hunter Biden previously has said he would only testify publicly.
“Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not financially involved in my business, not as a practicing lawyer, not as a board member of Burisma. Not in my partnership with a Chinese private businessman. Not my investments at home nor abroad and certainly not as an artist,” Hunter Biden said at the press conference.
After Hunter Biden stormed out of the hearing Wednesday on Capitol Hill, his defense counsel, Abbe D. Lowell, briefly addressed the press. (RELATED: Democratic Party Donors Bought ‘Vast Majority’ Of Hunter Biden’s Art, Comer Says)
Lowell challenged House Republicans’ attempt to hold Hunter Biden in contempt, reiterating the first son previously offered to publicly testify.
“The Republican chairs today, then, are commandeering an unprecedented resolution to hold someone in contempt who has offered to publicly answer all their proper questions,” Lowell told reporters Wednesday.
The next reporter Jean-Pierre called on in the briefing, Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy, also pressed the press secretary about the White House’s level of knowledge of Hunter Biden’s appearance on Capitol Hill.
“Hunter Biden on Capitol Hill today. How big of a headache is that for you?” Doocy opened.
“Hunter Biden is a private citizen. He is not a member of the White House, as you know, and I just don’t have anything else to share,” Jean-Pierre responded.
Doocy reminded Jean-Pierre that last time Hunter Biden made an appearance on Capitol Hill to defy a congressional subpoena, she said the president was “certainly familiar” with what Hunter was going to say.
“I did say that, and what I’m saying today —” Jean-Pierre said.
“So is it the official line that President Biden does not help him with his business deals, but he does help him skirt congressional subpoenas?” Doocy continued.
“That is not even true. That is a jump that is … that is incredibly disingenuous in that question. What I will say to you —” Jean-Pierre followed up, visibly frustrated with the question.
“Just help us out. Just tell us what the president knew,” Doocy said.