Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, made a surprise appearance at a Capitol Hill hearing on Wednesday as Republicans took steps towards holding him in contempt of Congress for defying a congressional subpoena. The hearing, held by the Oversight Committee, was met with a political frenzy as Hunter Biden sat in the audience with his legal team, including attorney Abbe Lowell. Republican Rep. Nancy Mace called for his immediate arrest, while GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene referred to him as a coward as he left during her remarks. On the other hand, Democratic lawmakers argued that Biden should be allowed to speak publicly, as he had refused to testify behind closed doors.

Hunter Biden has defended his lack of compliance with the GOP-issued subpoena, stating that private interviews can be selectively leaked and manipulated by House Republicans. He insisted that he would only testify in public. Committee Chairman James Comer struggled to regain control, asserting that "Mr. Biden doesn't make the rules, we make the rules." The House Oversight and Judiciary committees are set to vote on contempt resolutions, which could result in criminal charges and further the impeachment inquiry into President Biden. However, the inquiry has thus far failed to uncover direct evidence implicating the president in any wrongdoing involving his son's business dealings.

If the contempt resolutions are approved by the committees and the House, it will be up to the Justice Department to decide whether to prosecute Hunter Biden. This referral for contempt would add to the scrutiny already faced by federal prosecutors, who are under heavy criticism for their handling of charges against Hunter Biden related to his taxes and gun use. Shelving the contempt charges could further fuel conservative criticism that the Justice Department is politicized, especially considering that former President Donald Trump's advisers were prosecuted for contempt of Congress by the Biden administration.

Hunter Biden's attorney, Abbe Lowell, expressed frustration with the Republican chairmen, accusing them of playing politics and seeking an unprecedented contempt motion against his client. Lowell questioned what they were afraid of and reiterated that Hunter Biden had offered to answer all proper questions from the start. Hunter Biden himself delivered a rare public statement outside the U.S. Capitol complex, defending his business affairs and condemning the years-long investigations into him and his family. He stated that there was no evidence to support the allegations against his father and criticized the lies spread by Republicans.

The contempt resolution released by Republicans accused Hunter Biden of "flagrant defiance" of the committees' subpoenas and called for him to be held accountable for his actions. Republicans claimed that his testimony was crucial to their investigation into allegations that the president profited from his family's overseas business dealings. The subpoenas, issued by the Oversight and Judiciary committees, requested Hunter Biden's closed-door deposition on December 13. However, he defied the subpoena and instead accused Republicans of cherry-picking information and distorting prior closed-door interviews. He reiterated his willingness to answer questions publicly.

The effort to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress would add to the legal scrutiny he is already facing. Special counsel David Weiss, appointed to oversee a federal investigation into Hunter Biden, has brought tax charges against him, and he is scheduled to appear in federal court in California on Thursday. The charges join three felony counts related to his purchase of a handgun in 2018. The House has previously approved six criminal contempt of Congress citations, with the Justice Department declining to prosecute in four cases. However, former Trump White House officials Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon were indicted and found guilty of criminal contempt of Congress in separate cases.

Overall, the ongoing battle between Hunter Biden and congressional Republicans continues to escalate, with the possibility of criminal charges and further legal proceedings looming. The outcome of this dispute could have significant implications for the Biden administration and its ability to govern effectively.