Fireworks erupted at a House Oversight panel hearing Wednesday on President Biden's son, Hunter Biden, and his overseas business dealings after Republicans realized that Hunter Biden was in the room. Biden had refused a previous GOP demand last month to appear for closed-door testimony, instead delivering remarks to the media outside the Capitol. On Wednesday, he showed up in person, though walked out minutes later. Joined by his attorney and another associate, Biden exited Wednesday's hearing just as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) began to speak. Greene previously had shown explicit images of Biden at a hearing. "What a coward," Greene said Wednesday as Biden left. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) called Biden the "epitome of White privilege" and asked, "Who bribed Hunter Biden to be here today?"
"Coming into the Oversight Committee, spitting in our face, ignoring a Congressional subpoena to be deposed. What are you afraid of? You have no balls to come up here," she said.
House Republicans are pushing to hold Biden in contempt of Congress. GOP lawmakers have hammered him for avoiding a subpoena for a closed-door hearing on claims that his father benefitted from his personal business dealings with foreign countries while vice president. Hunter Biden's legal team has instead argued for a public hearing. His plans to show up for Wednesday's hearing over his ditching a private legal deposition were not widely known until reporters spotted him at the Capitol. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), a vocal supporter of former President Trump, defended the GOP's demand for a private deposition with Biden before a public hearing: "This happens all the time. This is actually the protocol of the House." Ranking Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin (Md.), meanwhile, knocked chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), saying he "completely failed to respond" to Biden's past offers to sit down with the committee. Read more here. |
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© Illustration / Courtney Jones; Greg Nash; and Adobe Stock |
Trump's presence looms large as Haley, DeSantis debate
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GOP presidential candidates former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will square off Wednesday night on CNN, while frontrunner former President Trump will hold his own counter-programming town hall on Fox News. CNN's Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will moderate the essential "race for second place" between Haley and DeSantis, while Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum will take the helm at Fox News' Trump event. Trump's decision to skip this debate in favor of his own counterprogramming is in line with his move to skip previous GOP debates. The Hill's Dominick Mastrangelo has more on what led to Trump's town hall. And The Hill has the details where you can watch the DeSantis-Haley debate, as well as Trump's event. MEANWHILE: Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who didn't make the cut for the latest GOP debate, plans to run an ad during the event telling viewers to "turn this s— off." |
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Speaker Johnson faces GOP heat over spending deal
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House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has been on the job for less than three months, but he's already facing an uphill battle with his narrow GOP majority in the chamber. Johnson hammered out a tenuous deal with the Democratic-controlled Senate and White House to keep the government funded past its upcoming deadline, while securing few wins for Republicans. "This is not what we all want, it's not the best deal that we could get if we were in charge of both chambers and the White House. But it's the best deal that we could broker under the circumstances," Johnson told reporters Tuesday after a closed-door GOP leaders meeting. He's now facing an upheaval. A group of House conservatives on Wednesday tanked a procedural vote on unrelated bills as they sharply criticize the spending deal Johnson struck with Democrats. |
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Trump won't give closing arguments Thursday, following judge's rules
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Former President Trump won't be allowed to give closing arguments at his New York fraud civil trial, the judge in the case said Wednesday. Judge Arthur Engoron told Trump's legal team that the former president will not be allowed to speak in court on Thursday without stipulations. Trump's legal team had told Engoron's office that the former president and three attorneys working for him wanted to give closing remarks, but they wouldn't agree to the rules set out as Trump is running for president. How we got here: Engoron set out a few stipulations to his response — he would allow Trump to make a closing argument if he promised keep his message on the legal topic at hand and abstained from political discourse.
"He may not seek to introduce new evidence. He may not 'testify.' He may not comment on irrelevant matters," Engoron wrote in an email with the Trump team. "In particular, and without limitation, he may not deliver a campaign speech, and he may not impugn myself, my staff, plaintiff, plaintiff's staff, or the New York State Court System, none of which is relevant to this case, and all of which, except commenting on my staff, can be done, and is being done, in other forums."
A lawyer for Trump responded to the judge saying that Trump wouldn't agree to Engoron's proposed conditions, calling them "fraught with ambiguities, creating the substantial likelihood for misinterpretation … or unintended violation." The hearing is still set to take place on Thursday. Catch up quick: Trump, along with other mounting legal issues, is facing allegations, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), that he exaggerated his his net worth by billions on financial statements that helped with his business dealings. |
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Details emerge about freak plane incident
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Lawmakers are seeking more information from airlines after a door plug flew off an Alaskan Airlines flight this week. Former President Trump says that Boeing should "bring back" the "beautiful" 757 aircraft after nearly 200 of the company's 737 Max 9 planes were grounded over the dangerous defect. |
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"Take a wild guess who can't promise they won't overthrow the government," by Donna Brazille, Democratic political strategist. "Democrats play a dangerous game with dire warnings about Trump," by Mick Mulvaney, former acting White House chief of staff to Trump. |
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5 days until the Iowa Republican caucuses.
13 days until the New Hampshire primary.
187 days until the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
222 days until the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. |
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5:30 p.m.: President Biden is taking part in a campaign reception at the St. Regis Hotel near the White House. 9 p.m.: Republican GOP candidates former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will headline the latest Republican primary debate on CNN. Former President Trump, the frontrunner in the GOP nomination fight, will hold his own alternately scheduled event over on Fox News. LOOKING AHEAD: |
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Be sure to check out the "Election Center" the partnership between Decision Desk HQ and The Hill, keeping track of polling averages in all the important U.S. House and Senate races and, of course, the race for president. |
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