House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) defended himself Wednesday, claiming it was actually the Biden family who “got played” when Hunter Biden unexpectedly showed up to the committee’s contempt hearing.
Hunter Biden took limited questions from Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) before abruptly leaving the hearing, creating a stir among GOP members.
The committee voted to advance a resolution holding him in contempt of Congress over refusing a subpoena to testify behind closed doors last month. Biden previously agreed to testify, but only in public.
“In my opinion, the Bidens are the ones that got played today,” Comer said in a NewsNation interview. “I think that the American people saw the arrogance and entitlement of the president’s son.”
The Oversight investigation into the Biden family has centered on allegations that Hunter Biden, as well as the president’s brother James Biden, accepted money in foreign business deals. Republicans have also accused the president of accepting money, though they have not shown concrete evidence.
During the Wednesday hearing, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) confronted Hunter Biden over his appearance.
“You are the epitome of white privilege. Coming into the Oversight Committee, spitting in our face, ignoring a congressional subpoena to be deposed. What are you afraid of? You have no balls to come up here,” she said.
“I think that Hunter Biden should be arrested right here, right now, and go straight to jail,” she added.
Comer pledged that he will allow Hunter Biden to testify publicly, as he demands, but only after a closed-door deposition for the investigation.
The investigation has come under fire from Democrats and some Republicans who view it as a political ploy to generate negative press about the president during an election cycle. Comer shrugged off those criticisms.
“This isn’t a distraction. The Oversight committee is 5 percent of the House of Representatives,” he said. “Our job is to hold people accountable. Our job is to investigate waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement in the government. That’s what we’re doing. We’re doing our job.”
Hunter Biden has denied wrongdoing.
“Hunter Biden was and is a private citizen. Despite this, Republicans have sought to use him as a surrogate to attack his father,” his attorney Abbe Lowell said.