House Oversight Chairman Requests Foreign Business Records From Hunter Biden, James Biden

Flanked by House Republicans, U.S. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Nov. 17, 2022. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability has made his first formal requests in the panel’s investigation of the Biden family’s alleged influence peddling.

In three Feb. 9 letters, Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) requested that Hunter Biden, James Biden, and their former business associate Eric Schwerin turn over all records, communications, and documents related to the Biden family’s foreign business dealings, as well as any records “designated classified.”

In a Feb. 9 statement, Comer noted that the three recipients are “key witnesses” in the committee’s investigation of President Joe Biden’s potential involvement in his family’s business dealings.

“Evidence obtained in our investigation reveals the Biden family business model is built on Joe Biden’s political career and connections,” the chairman said. “Biden family members attempted to sell access around the world, including individuals who were connected to the Chinese Communist Party, to enrich themselves to the detriment of American interests. If President Biden is compromised by deals with foreign adversaries and they are impacting his decision making, this is a threat to national security.

“The American people deserve transparency and accountability about the Biden family’s influence peddling,” he added. “The Oversight Committee is committed to exposing the waste, fraud, and abuse that has taken place at the highest levels of our government. Hunter Biden, James Biden, and Eric Schwerin’s documents, records, and communications are critical to this investigation.”

The two Bidens and Schwerin will have until Feb. 22 to respond to the committee’s requests. If they opt not to do so, the Republicans, as the majority party, will have the power to issue subpoenas at their disposal.

Additionally, in the letters, Comer noted that any attempts to “corruptly withhold or destroy” the documents or information requested could violate a federal law that carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.

Attorneys for Hunter and James Biden didn’t return The Epoch Times’ request for comment before press time.

In a letter obtained by The Epoch Times, Abbe Lowell, an attorney for Hunter Biden, responded to Comer’s letter on Feb. 9, stating, “While your Letter attempts to demonstrate ‘legislative purpose’ for investigating Mr. Biden, it fails nevertheless to address that the Committee’s scope of oversight is limited when dealing with private persons like our client.”

Lowell, in the letter, offers to sit with Comer, ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), and committee staff “to see whether Mr. Biden has information that may inform some legitimate legislative purpose and be helpful to the Committee.”