Shouting match in US Congress as Hunter Biden makes surprise show

South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace called his appearance a ‘PR stunt’ and said the president’s son should be arrested and ‘go straight to jail’

2 Republican-led panels later recommended the president’s son be held in contempt of Congress for defying their subpoenas for closed-door testimony last month

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Hunter Biden is seen as he makes a surprise appearance at a US House Oversight Committee meeting on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Phoro: Reuters

Published: 1:26am, 11 Jan 2024Updated: 7:55am, 11 Jan 2024

Two Republican-led panels recommended Wednesday that Hunter Biden be held in criminal contempt of the US Congress – after scenes of chaos erupted on Capitol Hill when the president’s son turned up in person to defend himself.

Two House of Representatives committees – oversight and judiciary – had gathered separately to debate contempt resolutions after the younger Biden defied their subpoenas for closed-door testimony last month.

Republicans are racing to inflict damage on US President Joe Biden ahead of November’s presidential election, where their nominee is likely to be scandal-plagued former president Donald Trump.

They have launched an impeachment investigation into the president over allegations – for which they have provided no evidence – that the president benefited from his son Hunter’s foreign business dealings.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer puts his hand over his face during a meeting on Wednesday to vote on whether to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress. Photo: Reuters

There was high drama in the oversight committee when the president’s son – who has been pushing to testify at a public hearing but has refused to appear for a private interview – suddenly showed up and sat in the audience.