Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has agreed to be questioned by lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee as part of the impeachment inquiry into his father. In a letter to Committee Chairman James Comer, Hunter Biden's attorney, Abbe Lowell, stated that his client is willing to answer any pertinent and relevant questions but insisted that the questioning be conducted in a public committee hearing. Lowell argued that a public proceeding would prevent selective leaks, manipulated transcripts, doctored exhibits, or one-sided press statements from affecting the outcome of the inquiry.

Lowell also criticized the ongoing investigation, stating that it has gone on for too long and wasted valuable resources. He proposed that the proceedings should come to an end and called for transparency to allow the public to see the truth. Hunter Biden offered to testify on December 13th or on another date in the following month that could be arranged.

The decision by Hunter Biden to agree to a public questioning comes after House Republicans issued subpoenas to him, his former business associate Rob Walker, and the president's brother, James Biden, earlier in the month. The subpoenas were part of the GOP's efforts to determine whether President Biden committed impeachable offenses. The investigators also requested interviews with other members of the Biden family and issued subpoenas to Hunter Biden's former business associates.

However, Chairman Comer swiftly rejected Hunter Biden's offer, stating that he must appear for a closed-door deposition on December 13th. Comer did leave open the possibility of public testimony in the future, emphasizing that Hunter Biden must follow the rules required of everyone else.

The Republican leaders of the Oversight and Judiciary Committees, who are leading the impeachment inquiry, claimed that Hunter Biden was actively involved in connecting the Biden family to foreign money and had personal knowledge of the president's involvement in his family's business dealings. However, no direct evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden has been uncovered.

The impeachment inquiry was initiated by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in September, and Speaker Mike Johnson has continued to support the probe. The next step in the inquiry, according to Johnson, is to question key witnesses under oath to fill gaps in the record.

House Republicans previously held a hearing in September to outline the basis for their probe of the president. However, one of their witnesses, law professor Jonathan Turley, stated that he did not believe the evidence collected by the Republicans would support articles of impeachment.

The developments surrounding Hunter Biden's agreement to testify in public mark a significant moment in the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. The request for public hearings aims to ensure transparency and prevent any manipulation or distortion of the facts. The upcoming questioning of Hunter Biden will undoubtedly be closely watched as the impeachment inquiry unfolds.