In a brazen act of defiance, on Wednesday, President Joe Biden’s delinquent son Hunter publically refused to comply with a congressional subpoena to appear before Congress in the closed committee hearing. It was an act scored by the liberal media when former President Trump’s allies did it, but now that the parties were reversed MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell cheered it on as “extraordinary” during her eponymous show.
She also falsely claimed that Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH) was held in contempt for similarly defying a congressional subpoena.
Near the top of her show, Mitchell touted Hunter’s statement to the press outside the Capitol. “A defiant Hunter Biden speaking publically about all of this for the first time,” she announced. She then admitted it wasn’t the first time he spoke publically about his additions since “he wrote a book.” “[B]ut this was really an extraordinary statement today,” she added.
Mitchell followed up by falsely claiming that Representative Jordan had previously been held in contempt of Congress by Democrats for the same thing. “By the way, Jim Jordan ignored a subpoena. He was, you know, in contempt really of Congress for refusing to testify,” she erroneously suggested.
The MSNBC host let that falsehood linger for several minutes before lightly walking it back and couching it in the caveat that a contempt charge could still be in Jordan’s future:
And let's talk about the legal aspects of this. So, Paul Butler, first to you. The legal implications for Hunter Biden in ignoring a subpoena. And I misspoke earlier because Jim Jordan ignored the subpoena from the January 6 impeachment committee, but they didn't refer it to DOJ. So he never was in contempt. But he could be held in contempt. They could refer it.
Despite all the receipts put out by the House Oversight Committee, Mitchell was still adhering to the liberal media's BIG LIE that there was “no evidence” of Joe being privy to Hunter’s business dealings.
“They haven't been able to provide any evidence connecting Joe Biden to his son's businesses. And impeachment is supposed to be high crimes and misdemeanors by the president of the United States, not something that his son did,” she scoffed.
Disturbingly, a former advisor to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Anthony Coley took a political stance against Republicans and in support of Hunter’s defiance of a subpoena. “What he did today was aggressive, he and his lawyers. It was an aggressive move. It was the right move,” he boasted.
“And so, it was very wise for Hunter Biden to say, if I'm going to testify, I'm going to do it under the bright lights of transparency. And I’m let the public decide for themselves what the reality is,” he added.
Ignoring the lies and games the Democrats had played with their Russia Collusion Hoax, Coley suggested it was Republicans who “have a history of cherry-picking things said in private and releasing them publically without context … all in an effort to shape a public narrative.”
Talk about accusing your opponent of doing what you, yourself were doing.
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports
December 13, 2023
12:02:50 p.m. Eastern(…)
ANDREA MITCHELL: A defiant Hunter Biden speaking publically about all of this for the first time. I mean, he wrote a book, but this was really an extraordinary statement today. What's the reaction from Republicans, James Comber, Jim Jordan, to the fact that he is ignoring the subpoena -- by the way, Jim Jordan ignored a subpoena. He was, you know, in contempt really of Congress for refusing to testify.
Do Republicans have the votes, though, for this impeachment inquiry? We have only heard of one, Ken Buck, saying he wouldn't vote for it.
(…)
12:08:31 p.m. Eastern
MITCHELL: And let's talk about the legal aspects of this. So, Paul Butler, first to you. The legal implications for Hunter Biden in ignoring a subpoena. And I misspoke earlier because Jim Jordan ignored the subpoena from the January 6 impeachment committee, but they didn't refer it to DOJ. So he never was in contempt. But he could be held in contempt. They could refer it.
(…)
12:10:24 p.m. Eastern
MITCHELL: We’ve seen no evidence. They haven't been able to provide any evidence connecting Joe Biden to his son's businesses. And impeachment is supposed to be high crimes and misdemeanors by the president of the United States, not something that his son did.
ANTHONY COLEY: That's exactly right. Before I get to impeachment, let me talk about Hunter Biden here. What he did today was aggressive, he and his lawyers. It was an aggressive move. It was right move. I would note here that House Republicans have a history of cherry-picking things said in private and releasing them publically.
MITCHELL: Like the video of January 6, and a number of other things.
COLEY: Without context. Without context, all in an effort to shape a public narrative.
And so, it was very wise for Hunter Biden to say, if I'm going to testify, I'm going to do under the bright lights of transparency. And I’m let the public decide for themselves what the reality is.
(…)
