The House Oversight Committee reportedly decided to recommend that its leadership not hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress if he's willing to comply with a new subpoena expected to be issued.
He was first subpoenaed in November for a deposition in December as part of House Republicans' impeachment inquiry into his father, President Joe Biden
Hunter Biden defied the order, reading instead a statement to the media outside the Capitol, insisting he'd only testify in a pubic hearing.
The Oversight and House Judiciary Committees then voted to advance contempt of Congress charges against Hunter Biden after a hearing in which he made a surprise appearance.
Hunter Biden's lawyer sent a letter to Oversight Committee chair, Rep. James Comer R-Ky., and Judiciary chair, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, saying the president's son would sit for a deposition if they sent a new subpoena saying the original one was invalid because the full House hadn't yet voted to authorize the impeachment inquiry, the Washington Examiner noted.
According to the outlet, on Sunday the committees sent Hunter Biden a letter saying they would issue a new subpoena requesting his testimony in a deposition.
"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," Jordan and Comer said in a letter to Hunter Biden's lawyer, the news outlet reported.
"To be clear, the issuance of these subpoenas does not in any way suggest or imply that the Committees believe the assertions in your January 12 letter to have any merit. Our willingness to issue these subpoenas is rooted entirely in our interest in obtaining Mr. Biden's testimony as expeditiously as possible."
The Washington Examiner, citing an unnamed source, reported that if Hunter Biden shows a willingness to comply with the new subpoena, contempt charges likely will be dropped.
"If they agree to genuinely cooperate and we can work out a deposition date, the chairman will recommend to leadership that we hold the floor vote on contempt in abeyance for now," the source told the Washington Examiner.
The contempt of Congress charge for Hunter Biden is still on the schedule to be voted on this week.