Hunter Biden spent significant time preparing to testify in case a House committee decided to hear from him during a public hearing on Wednesday, Axios reported.
Biden made an unexpected appearance at a House Oversight and Accountability hearing where the Republican-led panel pushed for a vote to hold him in contempt of Congress for refusing to appear for a deposition in their probe of President Joe Biden's alleged influence peddling.
The first son entered the hearing and sat quietly in the gallery with his attorney for less than an hour. He then left without speaking to reporters.
Hunter Biden went through a lengthy prep for the hearing in case committee members decided to call his bluff and make him testify publicly, two sources told Axios.
"If he wanted to be clear that he was serious about testifying, then he should be at the hearing to make clear he was willing to testify," one person familiar with Hunter's strategy told the outlet.
Republicans on the committee were not impressed by Hunter's performance. They later voted to hold the first son in contempt. The Judiciary Committee did the same.
"@GOPoversight sent a message today: no one is above the law. Even if you are a Biden," Chair James Comer, R-Ky., posted on X.
"House Republicans will hold the President's son in contempt of Congress. I look forward to a full vote on the House floor soon. Accountability is here."
According to Comer, it was Hunter's second "stunt" regarding the subpoena. On the day his deposition was scheduled, the first son appeared at the Capitol steps, read a statement and then left.
"At the end of the day, Hunter Biden does not set the rules for Congress," Comer told reporters after the hearing. "We believe that he's been given special treatment by the Department of Justice, by the FBI, by the IRS, and in each instance, investigators were told to stand down."
If the full House votes to hold Hunter Biden in contempt, it will be up to President Biden's Department of Justice, specifically the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, to decide whether to prosecute.
Hunter Biden's team did not inform the White House about his plans to appear at the hearing, reported Axios, which added it was unclear whether the first son told his father.
Hunter Biden is scheduled to appear in court in California on Thursday for the first hearing on several tax-related charges.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.