The US president’s son sat in the gallery with his lawyer, causing pandemonium, with panel members arguing with each other and scolding him for appearing.
Hunter Biden made an unexpected appearance on Wednesday at a US House of Representatives hearing where Republican lawmakers were pushing for a vote to hold him in contempt of Congress for not testifying in their impeachment inquiry targeting his father, Democratic US President Joe Biden.
The younger Biden entered the hearing without speaking to reporters, and sat quietly in the gallery with his lawyer, causing pandemonium, with members of the House Oversight Committee arguing with each other and scolding him for the surprise.
“It does not matter who you are … who your father is or your last name. Yes, I’m looking at you, Hunter Biden. You are not above the law,” Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace said. “Hunter Biden, you are too afraid to show up for a deposition. And you still are, today.”
House Republicans allege that the president and his family improperly profited from policy actions in which Biden participated when he was vice-president from 2009-2017. The White House and Hunter Biden deny wrongdoing.
Hunter Biden faces his own legal troubles. He is due to appear in a Los Angeles federal court on Thursday to face criminal charges of failing to pay US$1.
