If the House of Representatives doesn't hold Hunter Biden in contempt after the president's son defied Republicans' subpoena that he testify in private, "there will be a paper tiger," said former New Jersey superior court judge Andrew Napolitano.
"Paper tiger" is the English translation of a Chinese phrase referring to something that appears threatening but is actually weak.
"When you receive a subpoena from either House of Congress, you have two choices," Napolitano said Wednesday during an appearance on Newsmax's "American Agenda."
"One is to go to a federal judge and ask the judge to quash the subpoena — rarely happens but you have a few instances. And the other is to show up. You don't have to answer any questions, but you do have to show up.
"Congress' subpoena power is broad and wide, and the Supreme Court has upheld it. So by not showing up — in fact, by going to the steps of Capitol and taunting them as he did — he has invited them to move to hold him in contempt," he added.
"Does he have to answer questions? No, of course not. He has the same Fifth Amendment privileges as anybody else. In fact, his privileges are heightened because he's under two federal indictments."
Hunter Biden has insisted he will testify only in public.
The Democratic president's son slammed the GOP-issued subpoena for the closed-door testimony, arguing that information from those interviews can be selectively leaked and manipulated.
"Republicans do not want an open process where Americans can see their tactics, expose their baseless inquiry, or hear what I have to say," Biden said outside the Capitol in a rare public statement. "What are they afraid of? I am here."
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