The House Oversight and Accountability Committee "has called Hunter Biden's bluff" by scheduling a public hearing focused on President Joe Biden's alleged influence peddling, Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said.
Comer released his comment Wednesday after Hunter Biden's attorney, Abbe Lowell, said his client will not appear at a public hearing despite having demanded the opportunity before sitting for a deposition late last month.
"The House Oversight Committee has called Hunter Biden's bluff," Comer said in his statement. "Hunter Biden for months stated he wanted a public hearing, but now that one has been offered alongside his business associates that he worked with for years, he is refusing to come."
Comer last week invited Hunter Biden and his business associates to testify at a hearing on March 20 regarding Joe Biden's involvement in his family's domestic and foreign business dealings.
Hunter Biden was deposed behind closed doors Feb. 28 for nearly seven hours before the committee. In his testimony, the first son confirmed that his father, while vice president in 2014 and 2015, met Hunter's business associates from Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine at a Washington, D.C., restaurant.
"During our deposition and interview phase of our investigation, Hunter Biden confirmed key evidence, including evidence that his father, President Joe Biden, lied to the American people about his family's business dealings and in fact attended meetings, spoke on speakerphone, and had coffee with his foreign business associates who collectively funneled millions to the Bidens," Comer said.
"However, parts of Hunter Biden's testimony contradict the testimonies of Devon Archer, Jason Galanis, and Tony Bobulinski."
Comer added that the scheduled public hearing "is moving forward," and he fully expects Hunter Biden to participate.
"The American people demand the truth and accountability for the Bidens' corruption," Comer said.
The chairman previously told Newsmax's Rob Schmitt that Hunter Biden, who has admitted to being addicted to drugs in the past, "played the drug card a lot" during the deposition.
House Republicans allege Joe Biden and his family improperly profited from policy decisions Biden participated in as vice president during then-President Barack Obama's administration in 2009-17.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.