Johnson says ‘he’s looking at’ subpoenaing Hunter Biden

Newly elected Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Sunday he is “looking at” subpoenaing President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, in connection to the House’s investigations into the Biden family’s foreign business dealings.

Asked on Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures” if he is expecting to subpoena Hunter Biden, Johnson said, “I’m looking at that. I think that desperate times call for desperate measures, and that perhaps is overdue.”

Noting a “full decision” has not yet been made, Johnson said he is counseling with the attorneys involved while pointing to his own experience as a lawyer.

“We’re trying to move forward on some of this very aggressively,” Johnson said. “I think the American people are owed these answers. And I think our suspicions about all this, the evidence that we have gathered so far, as you know, is affirming what many of us feared may be the worst.”

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) announced last month he was moving to launch an official impeachment inquiry into Biden following House Republicans’ widespread investigations into Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings.

Investigations from House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) have probed into Hunter Biden’s time on the board of a Ukrainian energy company while his father was vice president. 

Those spearheading the investigations allege Biden and members of his family, including Hunter, benefited financially in foreign business dealings as a result of Biden’s status as a leader.

The House probes, however, have not found Biden directly financially benefited from his son’s business dealings or proved that he made any policy decisions because of them.

These investigations were halted to a standstill earlier this month after eight Republicans joined all House Democrats to oust McCarthy from the top spot. Republicans looking to take the gavel were met with infighting within their own party, prolonging the Speakership vacancy.

While Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) was serving as acting Speaker, no committee meetings took place as a result of the paralysis of the lower chamber.

Johnson was elected last Wednesday as the 56th Speaker of the House, which essentially resumed the House’s normal functions in doing so.

Pressed over whether the House’s impeachment inquiry might turn into an official impeachment, Johnson kept his cards somewhat close to his chest.

“We’ll see, Maria,” Johnson answered. “I worked on the committees of jurisdiction and Judiciary is one of those. I think our chairmen have done an exceptional job. You have spoken to all of them, Jamie Comer and Jim Jordan and [Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.)], on Oversight and Judiciary and Ways and Means [committees].”

Maintaining he is “encouraging” these investigations, Johnson said there is a “constitutional responsibility to follow this truth where it leads.”

“We don’t use this for political and partisan games, like the Democrats have done and did against Donald Trump twice,” Johnson said. “We are going to follow the law and follow the Constitution. And I think we — you and I have a suspicion of where that may lead. But we’re going to let the evidence speak for itself.”