Hunter Biden's attorney is retaliating against James Comer, R-Ky., the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, by claiming that the leading Republican misrepresented his Thursday closed-door deposition.
In a statement made after Hunter's attorney Kevin Morris's deposition, which is a part of the House Republicans' extensive investigation into President Biden's family and its previous overseas business transactions, Comer voiced concerns regarding the attorney's financial support for his own client. Comer asserted that Morris' activities were unethical, pointing out the millions of money the attorney had given Hunter..
"Kevin Morris started covering Hunter Biden's tax obligations shortly after they met at a Joe Biden campaign event in 2019 in order to shield the then-presidential candidate from political risk. Comer stated, "Kevin Morris acknowledged that he had "loaned" the president's son at least $5 million. "These ‘loans’ don’t have to be repaid until after the next presidential election and the ‘loans’ may ultimately be forgiven."
"Since Kevin Morris has kept President Biden’s son financially afloat, he’s had access to the Biden White House and has spoken to President Biden," he added. "This follows a familiar pattern where Hunter Biden’s associates have access to Joe Biden himself. As we continue more interviews this month and the next, we will continue to follow the facts to understand the full scope of President Biden and his family’s corruption."
Comer also released excerpts from the deposition showing Morris was introduced to Hunter Biden by Hollywood producer Lanette Philips at a Biden campaign event in the winter of 2019 in Los Angeles, California. According to Comer, Morris said he began loaning Hunter money which doesn't have to be repaid until 2025 and even bought $1.5 million worth of the president's son's artwork to reduce the loan burden.
Morris, however, attacked Comer and said that he misinterpreted his testimony in a statement that Newsreedom Digital was able to receive.
"Hunter was coming out of the lowest moment in his life when I first met him, according to Morris. "His wife Melissa was five months pregnant at the time, and he had no money. He had no security protection, even though he was being harassed by paparazzi and had people coming into his house and threatening him."
"I was concerned that Hunter did not have the level of support he needed," he continued. "I stepped in and have done so ever since. I have worked hard to create a life that has allowed me to help my family and friends when they have needed it, and I did so with Hunter."
Morris added that, while he did loan Hunter money, the two consulted counsel on the transactions and that he is "confident" Hunter will repay him. In addition, Morris denied ever believing the president or his administration would give him anything in return for the loans, saying his "only goal" was to help a friend and that there is no prohibition against that.
And in a separate letter to Comer, Morris' lawyer Bryan Sullivan called for the committee to release the full transcript of his client's deposition.
"When we started today’s interview of my client Mr. Kevin Morris, I specifically pointed out the practice of Republicans in making partial leaks of witness’ statements rather than releasing the actual transcript so the public would know the truth and not your often inaccurate spin and misstatements," Sullivan wrote in the letter obtained by Fox News Digital. "I specifically asked that this not to be done with Mr. Morris’ transcript and, if such were done, that the entire transcript be released."
"Your staff as well as the staff of other committees responded that Mr. Morris would be treated fairly," Sullivan said. "And, then you did not treat Mr. Morris fairly and engaged in your standard practice of partially and inaccurately leaking a witness’s statements. Not two hours after we left Mr. Morris’ transcribed interview, you issued a press statement with cherry‐picked, out of context and totally misleading descriptions of what Mr. Morris said."
"So much for the promise of your staff that Mr. Morris would be treated fairly."
An Oversight Committee spokesperson told Newsreedom Digital that the panel would soon release the full transcript and that it would confirm Comer's account of the deposition.
"The transcript will affirm Chairman Comer’s readout of the interview with Kevin Morris," the spokesperson said Friday. "The Committee intends to release the transcript soon, but we do not have it from the court reporter at this time."
Hunter Biden deposition scheduled for next month after risk of being held in contempt of Congress
Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., reacts to the IRS moving to dismiss part of the Hunter Biden lawsuit on 'America Reports.'
Hunter Biden is expected to sit for a deposition as part of the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden at the House Judiciary and House Oversight Committees next month, after the first son defied a congressional subpoena and was at risk of being held in contempt of Congress.
"Hunter Biden will appear before our committees for a deposition on February 28, 2024," House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan said in a joint-statement Thursday. "His deposition will come after several interviews with Biden family members and associates."
They added: "We look forward to Hunter Biden’s testimony."
Comer and Jordan also announced additional witnesses will appear before the committee for testimony, including Hunter Biden’s business partners Mervyn Yan and Rob Walker on Jan. 22; Eric Schwerin and Joey Langston on Jan. 29; and Hunter Biden’s former business partner Tony Bobulinski on Feb. 5.
Hunter’s deposition will come after several interviews with Biden family members and associates that are scheduled over the next few weeks. Our work isn’t done.
Hunter Biden's new deposition date comes after the House Oversight Committee and the House Judiciary Committee last week passed resolutions to hold him in contempt of Congress for defying a congressional subpoena.
Hunter Biden's attorneys offered to discuss scheduling a new deposition for the first son — something House Republicans were willing to do.
Hunter Biden, ahead of his subpoenaed deposition on Dec. 13, had offered to testify publicly. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., and Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, rejected his request, noting that the first son would not have special treatment and pointing to the dozens of other witnesses who have appeared as compelled for their interviews and depositions. Comer and Jordan vowed to release the transcript of Hunter Biden’s deposition.
The first son, though, defied the subpoena, ignored the offer and recently delivered a public statement outside the Capitol. At the time, he said his father "was not financially involved in my business."
As the House advanced the resolutions to continue to take steps to hold Hunter Biden in contempt, his attorney, Abbe Lowell, last week asked that the committees issue a new subpoena.
Lowell penned a letter to the committees on Friday, saying the initial subpoenas were "legally invalid" as they were issued before the full House of Representatives voted to formalize the impeachment inquiry against the president.
"If you issue a new proper subpoena, now that there is a duly authorized impeachment inquiry, Mr. Biden will comply for a hearing or deposition," Lowell wrote. "We will accept such a subpoena on Mr. Biden's behalf."
"The committees welcome Mr. Biden’s newfound willingness to testify in a deposition setting under subpoena," Comer and Jordan wrote at the time.
"Although the Committee’s subpoenas are lawful and remain legally enforceable, as an accommodation to Mr. Biden and at your request, we are prepared to issue subpoenas compelling Mr. Biden’s appearance at a deposition on a new date in the coming weeks."
Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to tax charges brought by Special Counsel David Weiss
Judge sets a trial date for June 20 for Hunter Biden tax case
Newsreedom ’ Jonathan Hunt and David Spunt reports on Hunter Biden pleading not guilty to nine federal tax-related charges; three are felonies, and six are misdemeanors.
Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty in his initial appearance in federal court Thursday, after being charged with tax crimes out of Special Counsel David Weiss’ investigation.
Judge Mark Scarsi presided over the proceedings. Hunter was processed after the hearing by the U.S. Marshals Service.
The president's son pleaded not guilty to all nine federal tax charges stemming from Weiss' investigation. Hunter's trial is scheduled to begin on June 20.
Weiss charged Hunter in December, alleging a "four-year scheme" when the president's son did not pay his federal income taxes from January 2017 to October 2020 while also filing false tax reports.
Weiss filed the charges in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
The charges break down to three felonies and six misdemeanors concerning $1.4 million in owed taxes that have since been paid.
In the indictment, Weiss alleged that Hunter "engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019, from in or about January 2017 through in or about October 15, 2020, and to evade the assessment of taxes for tax year 2018 when he filed false returns in or about February 2020."
Weiss said that, in "furtherance of that scheme," the younger Biden "subverted the payroll and tax withholding process of his own company, Owasco, PC by withdrawing millions" from the company "outside of the payroll and tax withholding process that it was designed to perform."
The special counsel alleged that Hunter "spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills," and that in 2018, he "stopped paying his outstanding and overdue taxes for tax year 2015."
Weiss alleged that Hunter "willfully failed to pay his 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 taxes on time, despite having access to funds to pay some or all of these taxes," and that he "willfully failed to file his 2017 and 2018 tax returns on time."
Judge Scarsi on Thursday set the same conditions of Hunter's release as those set in Delaware, where the first son pleaded not guilty to federal gun charges brought by Weiss in October.
Those conditions include the requirement for the president's son to seek employment and communicate all international travel plans. Hunter also is prohibited from possessing a firearm and using alcohol and drugs, and he is required to get drug tested randomly and participate in a substance abuse counseling program.
The next motions hearing was set for March 27 in Los Angeles.
Hunter's defense attorney Abbe Lowell attacked Weiss over the charges last month, accusing the special counsel of "bowing to Republican pressure" when talking to the press.
"Based on the facts and the law, if Hunter’s last name was anything other than Biden, the charges in Delaware, and now California, would not have been brought," Lowell said in a statement.
Hunter’s court appearance in California comes a day after the House Oversight Committee and the House Judiciary Committee passed resolutions to hold Hunter in contempt of Congress for defying a congressional subpoena as part of the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden, setting up a full vote on the House floor in the coming days that would recommend the first son for prosecution.
Hunter made a surprise appearance on Capitol Hill on Wednesday morning, as the House Oversight Committee considered the resolution.
The House Oversight and Judiciary Committees had subpoenaed Hunter to appear for a closed-door deposition, scheduled for Dec. 13, 2023, as part of the House GOP impeachment inquiry against President Biden.
Hunter offered to testify publicly, but Republicans rejected the request. Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, cited the setting of other witness interviews, saying Hunter would not receive special treatment. The chairmen did, however, vow to release a full transcript of his deposition, as they had for previous witnesses, and agreed to schedule a subsequent public hearing.
On Dec. 13, Hunter appeared on Capitol Hill, but not for his deposition. Instead, he delivered a statement to the press, defying the subpoena.