This week, Hunter Biden got himself in even more trouble by blowing off a Congressional subpoena. Now, House Republicans have said they will initiate proceedings to hold him in contempt. 

However, that's not the only problem that Hunter's (metaphorical) middle finger to Congress on the Capitol steps might have caused. 

I wrote earlier about George Washington law professor Jonathan Turley's take that White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre may have put Joe Biden in some more potential impeachment trouble. KJP admitted that Joe and Hunter had discussed his statement, and that he was "familiar" with it, which raised questions about whether Joe told him to blow off the subpoena. That could lead to obstruction questions. There was also the question about how Biden has been throwing his staffers out as defenders to answer--with debunked talking points--about Joe not talking to any of Hunter's associates. 

Jonathan Turley Thinks KJP May Have Just Put Biden in More Potential Impeachment Trouble

But there was another subject: the involvement of Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) in Hunter Biden also giving the House the finger. As I previously reported, it was Swalwell who arranged for Hunter to have the spot, known as the "Senate Swamp," to make his statement and then he stood by his side as he attacked Congress. 

What Was Eric Swalwell Doing Standing With Hunter Biden As He Defied Subpoena?

In a new opinion piece for The Hill, Turley compared that to some of Swalwell's prior comments and actions. He said:

As first reported by the Washington Examiner, Swalwell used his official position to reserve the space for the press conference and lent his assistance to Hunter in refusing to appear before the House committees investigating his father, President Biden. It was a curious role for a former House impeachment manager to play in assisting in the obstruction of an impeachment inquiry of three House committees.

Of course, Swalwell has argued for the rounding up of anyone who aided and abetted the unlawful conduct during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

Indeed, in 2021 Swalwell sponsored a resolution exploring whether dozens of Republican colleagues could be expelled under the 14th Amendment for aiding and abetting an insurrection by “making unsubstantiated claims of systematic election and voter fraud.”

Turley termed it "aiding and abetting both a potential crime and the obstruction of congressional proceedings."

Hunter was not just committing contempt of Congress; he was parading his contempt with Swalwell as the drum major.

Swalwell tried to blame it on Republicans for wanting a closed-door deposition. But as Turley pointed out, it's how Swalwell did depositions during the Ukraine telephone call investigation into Trump. The reason is that there isn't any public performance, you can plumb the person being questioned at length without having limited member time for questioning. But most importantly, you can't just pick and choose not to attend. You can't say I want it in public or I won't show up; you're still obligated to appear. So, Swalwell's argument made no sense and he has to know that. 

Turley did not hold back. 

Swalwell did not simply facilitate a crime, he went out of his way to associate himself with it. 

Swalwell surely knew that he was helping Hunter in defying a subpoena and obstructing the investigation into Joe Biden. He not only helped set up the press conference but made sure that he was in the camera frame behind Hunter for every network audience. He presumably utilized congressional staff to assist in this effort. 

In taking these actions, Swalwell encouraged and facilitated the contempt of Congress. While his conduct may not warrant a criminal charge, it certainly warrants action from the House.

He also pointed out another inconsistency in Swalwell's action.

One member was particularly passionate in 2018 in calling for contempt sanctions against Steve Bannon: “If they don’t force him to answer legitimate questions, they will be ceding Congress’ authority, and we’ll be setting a very, very dangerous precedent that people can just tell Congress what they will and will not answer, and will show no resolve to use our subpoena power to get to the bottom of what’s going on.”

That was Eric Swalwell.

I wouldn't hold out a lot of hope that they pursue any real action against Swalwell, but House Republicans should call him in and grill him on his actions, as Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) indicated they might. 

Oversight Member Indicates They Might Hold Swalwell in Contempt for Arranging Hunter's Capitol Remarks 

We'll have to wait and see.