Kinzinger blasts Jordan over contempt of Congress threat on Hunter Biden: ‘Absolute hypocrite’

Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) criticized Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), saying he is an “absolute hypocrite” for threatening to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena, although Jordan once did the same thing.

“He’s for the sanctity of the subpoena by the U.S. Congress until he’s the one that gets subpoenaed by U.S. Congress, and he also votes against enforcing subpoenas against people like Steve Bannon and against people like Mark Meadows,” Kinzinger told CNN’s Kate Bolduan. “I mean, the hypocrisy is mind-numbing.”

After weeks of back-and-forth, Biden briefly appeared at the Capitol on Wednesday, making a public statement outside the building instead of heading inside for his scheduled deposition. House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) and Jordan then threatened Biden, saying the subpoenas compel him to appear for a deposition and that if he didn’t show, they would initiate contempt of Congress proceedings.

Kinzinger bashed Jordan for attempting to hold Biden in contempt — and for previously defending former President Trump during his impeachment inquiries by saying that the Department of Justice or the FBI should be the ones to investigate.

Biden said he was at the Capitol to testify in a public setting, going against the requests of investigators for a closed-door deposition. He defended his father and said he had no part in his business dealings.

The GOP said the deposition was another justification for its impeachment inquiry into President Biden.

The former lawmaker said Jordan’s response to Biden skipping the private meeting is more about winning in the impeachment inquiry than truth or power. Kinzinger said they are going on a “fishing expedition” trying to find evidence against the president.

“I am less concerned with what people’s view is on position and what their idea is on policy as much as I am with there is just open and blatant and unashamed hypocrisy, where it’s all about winning, it’s all about power,” he said. “And truth and justice really has no role in what they’re doing.”

House Republicans are seeking testimony from Biden as part of an impeachment inquiry into the president, partially about his son’s foreign business dealings. The House is set to begin its inquiry Wednesday night with a vote.