Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, had a meeting with Anthony Bernal, a top aide to first lady Jill Biden, in the East Wing of the White House on December 11, 2023, according to the White House visitor logs. Shortly after this meeting, Hunter Biden chose to defy a congressional subpoena and instead held a press conference at the Capitol. The White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, later stated that President Joe Biden was aware of his son’s plans on the day he skipped the congressional deposition.
It is worth noting that Bernal has been referred to as Jill Biden’s “work husband” and has faced allegations of sexual assault. The meeting between Lowell and Bernal took place on the same day as a White House Hanukkah reception, where Lowell had another meeting with the president. The visitor logs indicate that 789 people were present, suggesting that this was likely the Hanukkah event. The White House has stated that both of Lowell’s meetings were related to the Hanukkah reception and that Hunter Biden was not discussed.
Following his defiance of the congressional subpoena on December 13, 2023, Hunter Biden criticized the House Oversight Committee’s investigation as “illegitimate” and asserted that his father had no involvement in his business dealings.
“Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not financially involved in my business, not as a practicing lawyer, not as a board member of Burisma. Not in my partnership with a Chinese private businessman. Not my investments at home nor abroad and certainly not as an artist,” he said.
