Hunter Biden tries to protect his dad but does the opposite in just one sentence: 'The biggest news of the day'

Congressional Republicans plan to initiate contempt proceedings after Hunter Biden defied a subpoena requiring his testimony for a closed-door deposition.

The first son tried to set the rules for the deposition, saying last month that he would only appear for a public hearing. No other witness in the House Oversight Committee's investigation into allegations of Biden family corruption has appeared at a public hearing — only closed-door depositions. Biden was to be treated no differently, according to Chairman James Comer (R).

Instead of appearing at the deposition, Hunter gave a brief speech to reporters on Capitol Hill. One sentence in particular from his statement is raising eyebrows.

"Let me state as clearly as I can: my father was not financially involved in my business, not as a practicing lawyer, not as a board member of Burisma, not in my partnership with a Chinese private businessman, not in my investments at home nor abroad, and certainly not as an artist," Hunter said.

Hunter's claim — that President Biden was not "financially involved" in his business schemes — is a significant departure from what President Biden has long maintained.

For years, Biden said that he never even discussed business with his son. But that narrative began to change earlier this year when Devon Archer, one of Hunter's longtime business associates, testified to Congress that Biden had conversed with his son's business associates on numerous occasions. At the time, the White House said that Biden "was never in business with his son."

But now the denial is exceptionally specific — and Republicans quickly took notice.

"Once again, the Bidens are moving the goalposts," said House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R).

"The biggest takeaway was the statement from Mr. Biden where he said my father was not ‘financially involved’ in the business," explained House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R). "That is a huge change, which sort of means, 'He's involved.' I think that's how anyone with common sense would read it: He’s been involved, just not financially. That is a huge departure from everything they have said now for the last three and a half years."

The change, Jordan added, is "the biggest news of the day."

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