Rep. Jason Smith weighs in on Hunter Biden investigation

Political fireworks are being seen between lawyers for President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, and certain Republican congressmen, notably Southeast Missouri U.S. Rep. Jason Smith.

Jason Smith

Jason Smith

Smith has added his voice to those of the GOP chairmen of two other U.S. House committees in asking for more than a dozen transcribed interviews in the high profile federal investigation of the younger Biden.

Smith, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, joined Oversight Committee chairman James Comer of Kentucky and House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio in requesting transcripts of interviews Hunter Biden had with officials of the Department of Justice, Internal Revenue Service and Secret Service.

The move is part of an expansion of House Republicans' probe of Hunter Biden with the 2024 election coming ever closer.

"We need to hear from these federal employees and other witnesses about this weaponization of federal law enforcement power," the three committee chairmen said in a joint statement.

The committee leaders also threatened to use subpoenas if they don't get what they're looking for.

"Please be aware that the Committees will resort to compulsory process to obtain the required testimony," the letter said.

Under investigation since 2018, Hunter Biden has agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax crimes and, according to court filings, will also admit to illegally possessing a gun while a drug user.

Reaction

Fox News said it has obtained a 10-page letter from Hunter Biden attorney Abbe Lowell sent to Smith, accusing the legislator and other GOP lawmakers of an "obsession with attacking the Biden family" and accusing Smith specifically of advancing "a false political narrative."

Smith issued the following response:

"It's little surprise that Hunter Biden's attorneys are attempting to chill our investigation and discredit the whistleblowers who say they have already faced retaliation from the IRS and the Department of Justice despite statutory protections established by law," Smith said.

"These whistleblowers bravely came forward with allegations about misconduct and preferential treatment for Hunter Biden — and now face attacks even from an army of lawyers he hired. Biden family lawyers have resorted to intimidation before — reportedly threatening federal prosecutors with 'career suicide' if they charged Hunter Biden — so this attempt to intimidate our client and the oversight authorities scrutinizing the politicization of that case is no surprise," the statement continued.