A House Oversight and Accountability committee hearing came to a standstill after Democratic Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin threatened to subpoena Tony Bobulinski during a hearing detailing Hunter Biden’s foreign business deals.
Two of Hunter Biden’s ex-business associates, Bobulinski and Jason Galanis, appeared before the committee for a public hearing on Hunter Biden’s foreign business deals and his father, President Joe Biden’s, potential involvement. The hearing abruptly paused after Raskin tried to subpoena for Bobulinski’s Blackberry phone in which he said messages with Hunter Biden and Oneida Holdings partners took place. (RELATED: Hunter Biden Ex-Business Partners To Go Scorched Earth On Bidens, House Democrats In Testimony)
“We’ve heard for months now and seen photos of that Blackberry with the cracked screen. Does the committee have in its possession the data from Mr. Bobulinski’s phone from which we allegedly have taken these pictures?” Raskin asked. “I think we need the data that they keep referring to. Maybe Mr. Bobulinski could just turn it over to us or we could subpoena it today?”
House Oversight and Accountability committee chairman James Comer informed Raskin that they had pictures of all the text messages while someone in the background added that Bobulinski had previously been willing to turn over his phone.
“Of course, he has just given us the one’s he has selected. I’m wondering whether we could get all of these texts. I’d move that we subpoena Mr. Bobulinski’s Blackberry phone on which the messages with Hunter Biden and Oneida Holdings partners are saved. He’s stated that he is willing to provide it to the committee so it should be rather simple,” Raskin continued.
Republican Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan then made a motion to table Raskin’s request. Comer held a voice vote on whether Raskin’s motion should be tabled.
“In the opinion of the chair, the ‘ayes’ have it,” Comer said.
“Mr. Chairman what we are doing here is we are tabling evidence that you keep relying on so I am going to ask for a recorded vote for that. That just makes no sense,” Raskin responded.
Comer then ordered a recorded vote and asked someone to find the clerk so they could continue with matters. The motion to table later passed.
Hunter Biden was invited to the Wednesday hearing but turned down the invitation. The first son did testify in front of the committee behind closed doors, where he claimed to not recall many details of his foreign business dealings. Hunter Biden was able to recall, though, that his father was not involved.
The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Hunter Biden in November to try to get the first son to appear at a closed-door deposition. Hunter Biden did not attend the hearing, instead holding a press conference outside the Capitol after showing up while the hearing was in progress.
The first son noted during his press conference that he would like to testify, though publicly, an offer his lawyer previously made to the committee. Hunter Biden also criticized Republicans for bringing an impeachment inquiry against his father while repeating that his father was in no way involved in his foreign business dealings.