Republicans Accuse DOJ of Obstructing Their Hunter Biden Probe

House Republicans called out the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Sunday for what they're saying is an obstruction into their investigation of Hunter Biden and his foreign business dealings.

The House Oversight Committee's investigation into Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has faced a number of obstacles. Democrats on the committee have pointed to testimony that directly contradicted claims that accused the president of assisting Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian-based natural gas company that Hunter Biden sat on the board of between 2014 and 2019, with any business deals or meetings on behalf of his son while he was vice president under former President Barack Obama.

In a letter sent on Saturday by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York to trial judge Ronnie Abrams, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams asked Abrams to schedule a date for Devon Archer, Hunter Biden's longtime business partner and former Burisma board member, to report to prison. In 2018, Archer was convicted for his role in a conspiracy to defraud a Native American tribe, but his February 2022 sentence of a year-and-one-day in prison has been repeatedly postponed amid a series of appeals, according to the DOJ.

Meanwhile, Archer is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Monday and as previously reported by the New York Post, is expected to testify that Hunter Biden put his father on speakerphone during business calls on multiple occasions. The White House has repeatedly denied that the president had any involvement with his son's business dealings.

The court isn't expected to make a decision prior to Archer's meeting with the House Oversight Committee as the Saturday letter states that "counsel for Mr. Archer will put in a response to the Government's request by Wednesday."

Meanwhile, Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg told Newsweek on Sunday that it's common for federal prosecutors to send such letters.

"As for the timing, I wouldn't buy the conspiracy theories, because there's no chance that Archer would have to report to prison before his meeting with the congressional committee," Aronberg said.

Newsweek has reached out to Archer's attorney Matthew Schwartz via email for comment.

Representative Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, reacted to the letter on Twitter on Sunday and wrote, "The DOJ is now actively committing the crime of obstructing a congressional investigation."

Gaetz then tagged House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Representative James Comer who is chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and Representative Jim Jordan who is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

The Florida congressman then added: "If Devin Archer isn't in the witness chair Monday, we better haul every SOB at the DOJ before congress EVERY DAY to make them pay for this. Lmk (let me know)- I'll come back to Washington tomorrow to do this. Archer is in that chair or Garland is. Yield me the time and let me ask the questions. I'll handle it from there."

In response to Gaetz, Representative Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, tweeted, "I will join you back on the Hill. This is almost unbelievable!"

Comer, a Kentucky Republican, also commented about the DOJ's letter while speaking to Maria Bartiromo, host of Fox's Sunday Morning Futures, and said, "The letter from the Department of Justice is trying to nudge the judge to go ahead and sentence Devon Archer for something unrelated than what we're going to be talking to him about tomorrow."

He added: "It's odd that it was issued on a Saturday, and it's odd that it's right before he's scheduled to come in and have an opportunity to speak in front of the House Oversight Committee and tell the American people the truth about what really went on with Burisma. So, I don't know if this is a coincidence Maria, or if this is another example of the weaponization of the Department of Justice."

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, tweeted, "The DOJ has gone rogue! They are actively intimidating our witness and coordinating to cover up Biden crimes! I'm happy to go back to Washington to do whatever it takes to stop this rogue weaponized government!!"

Charlie Kirk, podcast host and founder of Turning Point USA, also tweeted on Sunday in part, "BREAKING: The DOJ is attempting to arrest Devon Archer just hours before he's scheduled to testify on Monday about the Biden's corruption and foreign influence peddling scheme. SDNY Damian Williams issued the letter Saturday telling Judge Abrams to order Devon Archer to surrender IMMEDIATELY."