Karine Jean-Pierre says Biden was ‘familiar’ with son Hunter’s statement but refuses to say if he should be charged for defying subpoena as she dodges questions on first son’s shocking statement

A White House press secretary said Wednesday that President Joe Biden was “familiar” with what his son Hunter was about to say earlier in the day as he ignored a congressional subpoena to testify.

But Karine Jean-Pierre did not answer questions about whether the president gave advice or whether Hunter Biden, 53, should be prosecuted for flouting the Republican investigation.

“As you know, Hunter Biden is a private citizen. And so I would, of course, refer you to his representatives,” she said, answering a question about whether the president watched his speech.

“You know, the president was probably familiar with what his son was going to say.

“And I think what you saw was from the heart of his son, and you heard… heard me say it, you heard the president say it, when it comes to the president, the first lady, they’re proud of him. and continue to rebuild my life.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that President Joe Biden was “familiar” with what his son Hunter was about to say earlier in the day as he defied a congressional subpoena to testify before Republican investigators.

Hunter Biden gave a speech on Capitol Hill in which he criticized Republicans for their “illegal investigations” based on “distortions, evidence tampering and lies.”

She answered additional questions about how “familiar” the president was with his son’s speech and whether they discussed it.

Earlier, the president’s son appeared on Capitol Hill, where he criticized Republicans and outlined the reasons for refusing to challenge them to testify behind closed doors.

“I am here today to ensure that the unlawful House committee investigations into my family are not based on distortions, evidence tampering and lies,” he said.

Instead, he offered to testify publicly.

‘What are they afraid of? I’m here,” he said.

Republican leaders have said they are prepared to file contempt proceedings against Congress.

For months, they have tried to link President Joe Biden to his son’s business dealings. So far, their evidence has revealed nothing to implicate the elder Biden in any wrongdoing.

At the White House, Jean-Pierre did not specify whether the president watched his son’s performance.

Instead, she laid out the ways Biden has focused on the important business of governing the country.

Republicans have spent months trying to find evidence linking the president to his son’s international business dealings. They’re unlucky so far

“We were just talking about what’s going on at the border and how he wants to make sure that we secure the border and the work that he and his team are doing in the negotiations to make sure that there is a bipartisan compromise,” she said. said.

She objected to other questions about whether the president was comfortable with his son ignoring a subpoena.

“I’m just not going to go into detail on that,” she said, referring questions from reporters to Hunter Biden’s personal representatives.

She also did not answer questions about comments Biden made in 2021 about the Jan. 6 suspects defying subpoenas issued by House investigators.

CNN’s Caitlin Collins asked him if they should be prosecuted by the Justice Department? “Yes, yes,” he said.

Hunter Biden arrived on the Senate side of the Capitol on Wednesday morning with his lawyer Abbe Lowell, sparking speculation that he will indeed testify.

President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, Hunter Biden with Beau Biden and Naomi Biden watch fireworks on the South Lawn of the White House on July 4th.

“I have nothing to add,” she said.

But she answered another question more clearly when asked whether Biden would issue a pardon.

“The president is not going to pardon his son,” she said.

The president’s son also faces criminal charges in two states.

He faces a gun count charge in Delaware, where he is accused of violating laws banning drug users from possessing guns in 2018.

And special prosecutor David Weiss also filed new charges and nine new tax counts last week, alleging he planned to avoid paying about $1.4 million in taxes over a three-year period.