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Hunter’s tense exchange at depo: ‘Mr. Gaetz, look me in the eye. You really think that’s appropriate to ask me?’

March 1, 2024 | | Print Article

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz locked horns with Hunter Biden during a behind-closed-doors deposition which, at one point, included a heated exchange over drug use.

President Joe Biden’s son testified before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday and a transcript released by the committee revealed the tense moments between the younger Biden and Gaetz, the Florida Republican who serves on the House Judiciary Committee.

Biden was asked about his time on the board of the Ukrainian energy company, Burisma, and what his qualifications were to serve in that capacity.

“What need did you fill, Mr. Biden?” Gaetz asked before going on to question whether the 54-year-old was on drugs while he was a board member.

“If you want to spend the next part of the last hour you have asking about his drug use, go at it,” Biden’s attorney Abbe Lowell responded to the lawmaker’s query.

“It’s outside the scope. It certainly has no relevance to an impeachment inquiry nor does it have anything to do with oversight of ethics legislation that may address family members of Presidents or Vice Presidents,” he added. “So go at it, but it’s outside the scope and you’re wasting your time.”

Gaetz moved ahead, repeating his question to Biden, a recovering drug addict who has previously spoken about his addiction.

“Were you on drugs when you were on the Burisma board?” Gaetz asked.

“Mr. Gaetz, look me in the eye. You really think that’s appropriate to ask me?” Biden shot back.

“Absolutely,” the congressman replied, prompting Biden to say, “Of all the people sitting around this table, do you think that’s appropriate to ask me?”

He was likely alluding to allegations of sex crimes and drug use by the GOP lawmaker, claims that are part of an ongoing House Ethics Committee inquiry.

“Yeah. Are you going to answer it?” Gaetz asked as Lowell told his client, “You don’t have to answer it.”

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Biden responded anyway, after first saying he would not answer.

“I will answer it this way: I have been absolutely transparent about my drug use,” he said.

“Again, I spoke to you all earlier this morning about that. I’m sorry; I’m an addict. I was an addict. I have been in recovery for over 4 and a half years now, Mr. Gaetz. I work really, really hard at it. Let me answer. I work really hard at it, under an enormous amount of pressure. Was I an addict? Yes, I was an addict. What does that have to do with whether or not you’re going to go forward with an impeachment of my father other than to simply try to embarrass me?” Biden demanded.

In his opening statement, Biden came out swinging at the Republican-led inquiry.

“I am here today to provide the committees with the one uncontestable fact that should end the false premise of this inquiry: I did not involve my father in my business, not while I was a practicing lawyer, not in my investments or transactions, domestic or international, not as a board member, and not as an artist, never,” he said.

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Gaetz spoke with reporters following the deposition.

 

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Frieda Powers
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