Hunter Biden to testify privately in Republican impeachment inquiry next month

Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Hunter Biden will testify privately Feb. 28 as part of House Republicans' wide-ranging impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, the House announced Thursday.

"Hunter Biden will appear before our committees for a deposition on February 28, 2024. His deposition will come after several interviews with Biden family members and associates. We look forward to Hunter Biden's testimony," House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., and the House Committee on the Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said in a joint statement announcing the deposition.

As part of the impeachment inquiry, both the committees will conduct interviews with several Biden family members and associates in the coming weeks. Authorities also are working to secure an appearance date for James Biden, the president's brother.

Comer and Jordan made the announcement after lawyers worked for a week to negotiate a date. Last week, House Republicans were threatening to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of court for failing to comply with a prior subpoena.

The committee is scheduled to hear from business associates of members of the Biden family later this month and into February.

House GOP members argue Hunter Biden's testimony is key to their impeachment investigation into his father for allegedly enriching himself during his years as vice president through what many Republicans say was his son's alleged overseas influence peddling.

The Biden administration has called such charges baseless.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has dismissed the impeachment process as a series of "political games."

"They're playing political stunts. There are baseless allegations here," she said. "We've been clear about that."