FLASHBACK: Democrats Defend Obstruction of Biden Investigation Proceedings with Subpoena Enforcement Hypocrisies
WASHINGTON— Democrats have done an about-face with their views on a standard investigative procedure as they quickly rally to cover up President Biden and his family’s corruption. House Democrats are attempting to undermine Republicans’ process for providing accountability to the American people by lawfully issuing subpoenas to Hunter Biden to appear for a deposition. Meanwhile, they’re hoping nobody looks back to recent years when Democrats themselves used the same process.
The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, along with the House Judiciary Committee and House Committee on Ways and Means, will continue to follow the record of evidence revealing President Biden knew about, participated in, and benefitted from his family’s corrupt business practices and bring accountability to American people.
THEN: When Democrats were in the majority, they emphasized the importance of adhering to Congressional subpoenas.
- In 2022, Representative Jamie Raskin said, “The lesson is, please tell your children out there in America, if you get a subpoena to go before Congress, if you get a subpoena to go to the court, go. You have a legal responsibility to go.”
- In 2022, Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) tweeted, “If subpoenaed, you show up and assert any privilege you think applies to specific questions. But you can’t blow off the proceeding.”
- In 2019, then House Committee on Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said, “…when a congressional committee issues a subpoena, compliance is not optional.” He continued, “The committees have a constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight, to make recommendations to the House as necessary…”
NOW: Democrats are quick to give special treatment to Hunter Biden and defend him for attempting to set the terms of his own subpoena.
- Now that a Democrat occupies the White House, Ranking Member Jamie Raskin approves of the President’s son creating his own rules for lawfully issued subpoenas: “Chairmen Comer and [Jim] Jordan will not take yes for an answer and are instead obstructing their own investigation by preventing Hunter Biden from appearing before the Committee [.]”
- Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) helped Hunter Biden commit contempt of Congress by participating in and lending his name to a press conference Hunter Biden held outside the Capitol. Swalwell claims there’s no need for a closed-door deposition.
THEN: In previous investigations, Democrats touted the utility of depositions for the witnesses they called to testify.
- In 2019, when House Oversight Democrats wanted to bring in President Donald Trump’s sons Donald Jr. and Eric and daughter Ivanka, Oversight Democrats such as Gerald Connolly (D-Va.) cautioned against conducting public hearings.
- “I think the optics of that are very dangerous… I think that could backfire,” he said.
- In July 2022, Steve Bannon offered to testify before the Jan. 6 committee and expressed his preference to testify at a public hearing. At the time, House Judiciary Committee Democrat Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) told CNN that the committee was using closed-door interviews due to limitations, such as time constraints, that occur when conducting a public hearing.
- “We want to get all our questions answered, and you can’t do that in a live format,” Democrat Rep. Lofgren said.
- Rep. Jamie Raskin insisted on closed-door depositions for those who appeared before the Jan. 6 committee at the time. When Steve Bannon agreed to testify publicly, Raskin argued he should have to sit for a closed-door interview just like every other witness.
- “The way that we have treated every single witness is the same, that they come in, they talk to the committee there,” Raskin said in interview on CBS in 2022.
NOW: Now, Democrats are crying foul as Republicans are using the same process of conducting transcribed interviews and depositions.
- When Republicans investigate, Ranking Member Jamie Raskin wants witnesses to be held to a different standard.
- “They wanted to conduct the deposition in a closed-door interview so the public couldn’t see it,” Raskin said.
READ MORE:
Comer & Jordan Statement on Hunter Biden Failing to Appear for Deposition