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we make money from ads, but they don't follow you aroud join the millions of people taking back their privacy by downloading duckduckgo on all your devices today. any moment now house republicans will hold the first hearing in their effort to impeach homeland security secretary alejandro mayorkas over the border crisis. we'll bring that to you live. nikki haley and ron desantis preparing for what may be the biggest debate of their lives. tonight right here on cnn. the key decisions they have to make in the next few hours. a woman, a mother of eight, now a convicted criminal for her part in the capitol riot. just days before she's set to begin serving her five-year prison sentence, she sat down with cnn.

who she blames, who she really thinks duped her, and why it's not donald trump. i'm kate bolduan with john berman and saira sidner. this is "cnn news central". this morning the stage is set for the final republican presidential debate before the iowa caucuses on monday. cnn is hosting the primetime match-up between nikki haley and ron desantis. it's the first time that they're going to be face to face just one on one for this debate. donald trump also qualified for the debate, but once again is choosing to skip it and hold his own town hall event also in iowa. former new jersey governor chris christie, vivek ramaswamy did not qualify. the stakes could not be higher really for all involved. this is one of their final

chances to make a statement, answer questions, and prove that they're the best candidate, the best alternative to take on donald trump. cnn's kylie atwood joins us from i what this morning. what are you -- from iowa this morning. what are you hearing, what can we expect? >> reporter: kate, as you said, the timing here just incredibly critical because this debate is happening just five days before the iowa caucuses. americans will cast their ballot for the primary process. for ron desantis, the stakes couldn't be higher. he's been saying he likes to be considered underestimated, the underdog. the reality is that him and his team have been a tremendous amount of resources into iowa. if he doesn't do well here, his campaign could be in real jeopardy. then you have nikki haley who has some growing momentum. she's been campaigned in iowa. but particularly in new hampshire with that new cnn university of new hampshire poll

out just yesterday showing that she is gaining on the former president. former president donald trump. now behind him by just seven points in new hampshire. so if she does well tonight, if she does well in the iowa caucuses, that could build that momentum. if she doesn't, there could be questions about how much momentum she actually has. now one thing we'll be watching for is both candidates want to make it a one-on-one competition with former president trump. do they try and do that by going after one another, taking out the other guy on the stage, or do they try and go after the former president more aggressively? we've seen them do some of that, but we really haven't seen an all-out assault on trump from either of these candidates. now today the desantis super pac is out with a new ad here in iowa going after nikki haley for comments she recently made in new hampshire saying that new hampshire voters correct the decisions that are cast -- ballots that are cast here in iowa. listen to what that super pac is

saying. >> iowa starts it. you change personalities, you go into new hampshire. >> should iowans support another fake politician who disrespects them? >> iowa starts it, you know that you correct it. >> how can you trust nikki haley when she doesn't trust you? >> reporter: obviously one thing that we're watching for tonight is if nikki haley needs to explain herself again on the debate stage. she was saying she was trying to have a good time, playing around. that's one thing we'll be watching for. the former president won't be on the debate stage. counter programming with a fox news town hall. >> counter programming again. cnn's debate is tonight. good to see you. thank you. sara? breaking news for you at that hour. the president's son, hunter biden, is now expected to make an appearance on capitol hill at the house oversight contempt proceedings. our capitol hill reporter joining us now. melanie, you just got this news in. what are you hearing? >> reporter: yeah. i am standing outside the house oversight committee right now. they are moments away from beginning this markup to hold

the hunter biden -- piresident biden's son in contempt of congress for refusing to sit for a closed door deposition. we got reporting from a colleague that hunter biden himself is expected to show up today in front of this hearing in some capacity. it's all fluid now, but this is the expectation that he is going to show up. and it is similar to what he did when he was scheduled to appear for a closed door deposition in december. he has said all along that he doesn't want to appear for a closed door deposition, he only wants to testify in a public setting. he's worried about republicans selectively leaking his testimony. and instead he did a press conference in front of the capitol. but republicans still say that was not enough for them. they've decided to move ahead with contempt proceedings. we're expecting both oversight and judiciary to mark up resolutions that would refer hunter biden to the doj and hold him in contempt of congress. that would then head to the house floor, and it sounds like hunter biden right now might be showing up. if we want to start walking this way -- he could be on his way

right now. as i said, this is part of the hunter biden effort right now to show he is making ever effort to comply with the subpoena to appear for a deposition. time and time again he said he's willing to talk to republicans, at least in a public setting. you can see right now we have this scrum of reporters -- if you can shoot the camera over there. we have this scrum of reporters. it looks like hunter biden is there. excuse me? >> make a hole. >> reporter: sir? are you worried about being held in contempt? >> were you involving your dad -- >> reporter: if you can see this, we are with hunter biden. >> guys, come on. move. everybody, make a hole. we'll start pushing people out of the way. >> that doesn't help -- >> reporter: oh, sorry. a little crowded here, guys. hunter biden is not talking, but he is walking in right now to the hearing.

all right. that's it. hunter biden has just appeared for a closed -- an open hearing at the house oversight committee. this is where, again, they're marking up proceedings to hold him in contempt of congress. we'll see what he has to say, if republicans are going to let him actually speak in the hearing. he said time and time again that he would speak publicly and that he does not want to appear for a closed door deposition. so that's where we're at right now, guys. >> that was fascinating. you were in the right place at the right time asking the right questions. melanie, did anyone on that committee expect him to show up? as we're watching this, we all just found out about it just now. is this the same thing with the committee? >> reporter: well, in the moments leading up to the hearing we were hearing from republican and democratic members who were saying that they were hearing rumors that hunter biden might show up. again, my colleague annie greher confirmed with her sources. there were republicans who said we want to see what he has to

say, we have things to say of our own. yes, it's another day that's shaping up to be quite amount of fireworks here on capitol hill, and the hearing hasn't even gotten under way yet. >> great reporting. we're going to go to the hearing. we're looking at jamie raskin making a statement. >> the violent attack on the capitol, the congress, and the vice president of the united states on january 6th, 2021. in any event, for last 11 months, the chairman has repeatedly refused offers from hunter biden, his attorney, to meet with the chairman and his staff and with members of this committee. on february 9th, just one day after the chairman's first letter to hunter biden, mr. biden's lawyer responded and offered chairman comer to, quote, sits with you and your staff including the ranking member and his staff to see whether mr. biden has information that may inform some legitimate legislative purpose and be helpful to the committee. the chairman never responded. on september 13th, mr. biden's lawyer again wrote to chairman

comer after a news max interview in which the chairman falsely claimed that he never got a response back to his original letter. mr. biden's attorney explained the chairman actually never responded to his offer to sits down and discuss the committee's request, but stated that he remained available to have the discussion, but the chairman again completely failed to respond. two months later on november 8th, chairman comer and jordan issued subpoenas to mr. biden requiring his appearance for a deposition on december 13th. in the cover letter, the chairman noted given your client's willingness to address this investigation publicly up to this point, we would expect him to testify to congress. throughout the fall the chairman urge police department biden to come appear at a public committee hearing on september 13th. on news max, the chairman stated hunter biden is more than welcome to come in front of the

committee. if he wants to clear his good name, if he wants to come and say, you know, there weren't 20 shell companies, he's invited today. we'll drop everything. on october 31 on a need podcast the chairman stated, we have mountains of evidence, now we're ready to bring them in. we're in the downhill phase now because we have so many documents, and we can bring these people in for depositions or committee hearings, whichever they choose. for depositions or committee hearings, whichever they choose, and we can ask these questions with evidence. on november 6th, again on news max, our good chairman stated "i will extend that invitation on your show right now, rob, if the biden family wants to join tony bobalinski in an official oversight committee hearing." he answered questions that the american have, that invitation is open now. they can come in and do that. on november 28th, hunter biden through his lawyer agreed to

chairman comer's multiple public requests. he agreed to appear precisel ly at a public hearing under oaths to answer the committee's questions on december 13th. exactly what our good colleagues, the republicans who had information about january 6th never agreed to do, they never agreed to testify anywhere under oath about what they knew. the letter that came in from mr. biden embraced the importance of having a public proceeding that, quote, would prevent selective leaks, manipulated transcripts, doctored exhibits, or one-sided press statements, especially in lights of the committee's past use of closed door sessions to manipulate, even distort the facts -- >> mr. chairman? mr. chairman? i have an inquiry. mr. chairman? don't we have house rules and committee rules regarding

subpoenas and then rules about having hearings and having questions with witnesses? >> we do -- >> that must be followed -- can you state the rules, mr. chairman? >> hold on. >> we can just interrupt each other -- >> your time was expired -- >> i'd like to know the rules of the house and our committee. >> read them. >> they're available to every member. >> the rules state for a deposition, if that's what you're asking, three days notice, you have to have the stenographer and all of that. so that's -- >> mr. chairman? >> just to clarify, we can't have someone -- >> the gentleman's time has expired. do any other members wish to be heard? >> mr. chairman? >> mr. chairman, day endure multiple interruptions -- day endure multiple interruptions. >> you went over but i'll give you 30 seconds. >> okay. the chairman refused to take yes for an answer from hunter biden. instead on december 1, they

pulled a bait and switch. they changed the terms of their request. they rejected his offer or his acceptance of their offer and insisted that he come and sit for a secret closed door deposition. on december 6th, hunter biden's lawyer reiterated that hunter biden was willing to accept the chair's original request and once again offered to appear on december 13th or any other date in december to answer any question pertinent and relevant to the subject matter. he again raised concerns about closed door sessions. that's what brings us to today, mr. chairman. he has materially, substantially, in good faith complied with what your requests were. >> he complied with the subpoena? i don't -- >> we -- we would -- >> your time has expired. any other members wish to be heard? the chair recognizes miss mayes from south carolina. >> thank you. fireman, my first question -- first of all, my first question is who bribed hunter biden to be here today? that's first question. second question, you are the

epitome of white privilege, coming to the oversight committee, spitsing in our face, ignoring a congressional subpoena to be deposed. what are you afraid of? you have no balls to come up here -- >> mr. chairman, point of inquiry. >> mr. speaker -- >> the lady is recognized -- >> if the gentlelady wants to hear from hunter biden, we can hear from him right now, mr. chairman. let's take a vote and hear from -- >> are women allowed to speak here? >> hold on. hold on. order. order. order. >> are women allowed to speak in here or no? are women allowed to speak in here or no? you keep interrupting me. >> that he's a lady. >> i think that hunter biden should be arrested right here, right no, and go straight to jail. our nation is founded on the rule of law -- >> come on. come on. >> -- and the premise that the law applies equally to everyone no matter what your last name is. >> point of order, mr. chairman. point of order -- >> doesn't matter who you are. >> point of order, mr. chairman. >> donald trump -- >> over here -- >> state your point. >> my point of order is this --

are we going to continue on with this blatant interruption? this is absurd and inappropriate. i intend to give my statement. i don't intend to have anybody interrupted. i'm not going to interrupt your statements. i think you should have decorum and courtesy and don't act like a bunch of nimrods. >> interrupted a woman. >> that's -- i got permission -- >> can we agree everyone has five minutes? can we agree? >> point of order again. the assertion that i interrupted was absolutely false. that's typical of the gentleman who spoke it. i got the permission from the chairman. i spoke, i was interrupted yet again by the gentleman who doesn't choose to go through the chair and follow proper order. i encourage us, i -- i think if we're going to have any respect at all, we need to have proper decorum. >> well said. well said. >> i'd like to finish. >> the rules are everyone --

everyone's going to be recognized for five minutes. anyone that wants to be recognized will be recognized for five minutes. miss mayes has four minutes and 13 seconds left. the chair recognizes miss mayes. >> it does not matter who you are, where you come from, or who your father is or your last name. yes, i'm looking at you, hunter biden, as i'm speaking to you. you are not above the law. at all. the facts in this case are crystal clear. this committee used and issued a lawful subpoena to hunter biden. a critical witness in this committee's investigation into biden family corruption. hunter biden and his lawyers did not claim privilege because clearly he has none. they didn't contest the legitimacy of our reasons for issuing the subpoena, no reasons, because they clearly are legitimate. and yet he refused to comply. trump's family members, don trump jr., he -- he did not defy a congressional subpoena. he showed up multiple times for multiple depositions for several hours. in doing so, hunter biden broke the law.

he did so deliberately, but so flagrantly. you showed up on the hill, on the senate side, the day of that congressional subpoena to defy it and spit in the face of this committee. that's what you did. the question the american people are asking us is what is hunter biden so afraid of. why can't you show up for a congressional deposition? you're here for a political stunt. this is just a pr stunt to you. this is just a game that you are playing with the american people. you're playing with the truth. hunter biden wasn't afraid to sell access to joe biden to the highest bidder when he was in elected office. he wasn't afraid to trade on the biden brand and share ill-gotten games with members of his family including joe biden. he wasn't afraid to compromise the integrity of the presidency and vice presidency by involving joe biden in shady business deals with our foreign adversaries. but hunter biden, you were too afraid to show up for a deposition. and you still can't today. i believe that hunter biden should be held completely in contempt. i think he should be hauled off

to jail right now because it wasn't long ago, too, my friends on the other side of the aisle, that you also believed in the power of a congressional subpoena. not long ago at all. you believed in holding those who refuse to comply with congressional subpoena accountable. and i stood with each and every one of you. i am the only member in this room today who has held a member of my own party in contempt of congress for not showing up for a subpoena. and i see nothing but complete hypocrisy on the other sides of the aisle. the ranking member of this committee eloquently put it the lesson is please tell your children out there in america if you get a subpoena to go before congress, go. you have a legal responsibility to do so. so the hypocrisy is stunning. what are we to tell our children today? there's nothing the other side can say with a straight face. as the only member to vote to hold a member of contempt of my own party, let me be clear -- this should not be a partisan

issue. if congress issues a subpoena, you show up, period. this is not a responsibility we take lightly. it brings no joy for us to do this, but the president's son broke the law. and must be held accountable in the same way anybody else would. i urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do so. my last message to you, hunter biden, you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. >> will the gentlelady yield for a question? will the gentlelady yield from south carolina? >> sure. >> i do want to commend the gent t -- gentlelady who was the only republican who stood up and voted to hold in contempt the republican members of the house who blatantly and categorically refused to comply with subpoenas that came from the bipartisan january 6th committee. i would like to ask my friend, ms. mayes from south carolina, whether she's aware of all the case law which says that the committee has to engage in good

faith interaction with the witnesses they've called and they're supposed to arrive at a solution. and what do you think about the fact that the chairman on multiple occasions gave this witness the opportunity to come before the full committee and he agreed to that? >> we issued a congressional subpoena, and i know with your constitutional law background you know exactly what that means. he should have showed up. because of your vote and statements, you should be voting to hold this man in contempt of congress today, right now. if you're going to be consistent your own policies and your own words. >> the gentlelady's time's expired. mr. moskowitz, recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. good to see you after a long break. so i'm listening to the gentlelady from south carolina about the witness being afraid to come in front of the committee. interesting. he's here. doesn't seem to be too afraid.

in fact, for some reason, the chairman who on multiple occasions invited the witness to come on tv, apparently the chairman wants to pretend like his statements on television or in interviews don't matter. but it didn't happen once. it didn't happen twice. it happened multiple times, the chairman said the witness can choose whether to come to a deposition or to a public hearing in front of the committee. the witness accepted the chairman's invitation. it just so happens the witness is here. if the committee wants to hear from the witness and the chairman gave the witness that option, then the only folks that are afraid to hear from the witness with the american people watching are my friends on the other side of the aisle. i don't know if there's a proper motion, mr. chairman, but i'll make a motion. let's vote.

let's take a vote. who wants to hear from hunter right now today? anyone? come on. who wants to hear from hunter? no one. so -- i'm a visual learner. and the visual is clear. nobody over there wants to hear from the witness -- oh, one, thank you. >> will you yield for a question? >> i'm not there yet, but i will eventually. so there's no one -- other than one or two -- that want to hear from the witness. the majority of my colleagues over there including the chairman don't want to hear from the witness with the american people watching. so mr. chairman, i just want to hear from you -- will you acknowledge that you invited the witness on television to choose whether he could come to a public hearing, and do you stand by your words, or do you renege that invitation to the witness? >> to answer the", i've said repeatedly after the deposition, mr. biden can come in front of a

public hearing. >> mr. chairman, i don't want to play the video, but that is not what you said on television multiple times. we have the quotes. we can put them up. you said the witness can choose between a deposition -- >> listen, mr. moskowitz -- mr. biden doesn't make the rules. we make the -- >> mr. chairman, you make the rules, and the rule you made is that he can choose. >> the rule is -- >> those were your words. reclaiming my time -- >> he was issued two lawful subpoenas -- >> reclaiming my time, mr. chairman. no, you issued subpoenas after he took you up on your invitation to come, and then you were like, oh, no, my god, what did i do? i invited him to come so the american people can hear his side of the story. i put my foot in my mouth, now i must bury him in the basement where we can decide what we're going to release to the public so that we can continue to tell that story. mr. chairman, you have said multiple times that this is not about hunter. it's about joe biden. and even this morning on

"mornings with maria" she asked another simple question -- the question you have been asked multiple times which is do you have evidence to impeach the president of the united states? before you said i hope so. today you said, i think so. and the answer is you don't. and you still don't. and so we continue to be here and have these charades. to my colleagues who talk about lawful subpoenas, i appreciate the gentlelady's -- the gentlelady from south carolina who voted to hold people in contempt. listen, i'll make this bipartisan. i'll vote for the hunter contempt today. you can get my vote. you can get my vote. i want you to show the american people that you're serious. here is the subpoena to representative scott perry who did not comply, i'd like to enter this into the record. here is the subpoena to mark meadows. i'd like to enter this into the record, who did not comply. here is the subpoena to jim jordan who did not comply with a lawful subpoena.

i'd like to enter that into the record. here is the subpoena to mo brooks who did not comply. i'd like to enter that into the record. here is the subpoena to mr. biggs who did not comply. i'd like to enter that into the record. and here's the subpoena to mr. mccarthy who did not comply. i'd like to enter that into the record. there's an amendment coming to add some of those names into the contempt order. you vote to add those names and show the american people that we apply the law equally, not just when it's democrats. it's a crime when it's democrats, but when it's trump and the republicans it's just fine. no, show that you're serious and that everyone is not above the law. vote for that amendment, and i'll vote for hunter biden contempt. i yield back. >> the chair recognizes ms. green from georgia for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. excuse me, hunter, apparently you're afraid of my words -- >> whoa! oh -- >> i would like to reclaim my

time, mr. chairman. >> you can't burst the bubble -- >> the gentlelady -- order. >> wow, that's too bad. >> the chair recognizes ms. green for georgia. >> i think it's clear and obvious to everyone watching today that hunter biden is terrified of strong, conservative republican women because he can't even face my words as i was about to speak to him. what a coward. and this is also a coward that sat right here in front of mickey babbitt, babbitt's mother who was -- >> what kind of crack do you normally smoke, mr. biden? >> let me start again. hunter biden was and is a public citizen. despite this, republicans have sought to use him as a surrogate to attack his father. and despite their improper partisan motives on six different occasions since february of 2023, we have offered to work with the house committees to see what and how

relevant information to any legitimate inquiry could be provided. our first five offers were ignored, and then in november they issued a subpoena for a behind-closed-doors deposition. a tactic that the republicans have repeatedly misused in their political crusade to selective leak and mischaracterize what witnesses have said. last fall chairman comer made an explicit offer that people like hunter and -- give him the option to attend a deposition or a public hearing, whichever they chose. hunter chose a hearing where republicans could not distort, manipulate, or misuse that testimony. honor and then ignored that invitation and proving once

again that they cared little about the truth and wanted only to, quote, move the needle of political support which was a quote chairman comer confessed was his true purpose. the republican chairs today then are commandeering an unprecedented resolution to hold someone in contempt who has offered to publicly answer all their proper questions. the question there is what are they afraid of? thank you. >> mr. biden, why did you show up today -- >> mr. biden? >> mr. biden? >> did you show up -- >> why did you show up today? why did you put your dad on speaker phone if he had nothing to do with your business? you put him on speaker phone multiple times to talk to your business partners -- partners, why did you do that?

>> hunter? >> are on you crack today? >> mr. biden? >> don't stop. >> why did you need to talk to him during a business meeting if he has nothing to do with your business? >> everybody, stop -- that's it. that's it. let them through. let them through. >> okay. what you have been watching, pure congressional mayhem. the house oversight committee was holding a hearing to find hunter biden in contempt of congress for not agreeing to appear for a deposition. the thing is, hunter biden showed up at the hearing, apparently surprising all the republicans including the committee chair and just set off

a theatrical explosion. you just saw hunter biden and his lawyer leaving that building right there. quite a moment. melanie on capitol hill, you saw much of it. explain what we just saw. >> reporter: yeah. yeah. well, hunter biden made a surprise appearance today in front of the house oversight committee which was about to recommend that he be referred to the department of justice for defying a subpoena and be held in contempt of congress. now a little bit of the back story. republicans requested that hunter biden sit down wfor a closed door deposition. him and his lawyer have said they would show up for a public hearing and he doesn't want his testimony selectively leaked by republicans. today him and his legal team made the point that he's here again today, he is willing to talk to republicans. democrats made the point that he is not scared of the committee, that he's willing to talk to them. and basically trying to show

that these contempt proceedings are without merit. but republicans pushed back. it was a contentious start to the hearing. you had marjorie taylor greene, nancy mace pushing back on his appearance. they said this was a disruption. they asked what the rules were. they said this is just a political stunt from hunter biden. and nancy mace said he should be arrested here on the spot. hunter biden showed up. he was in the committee room for about, i would say, around 20 minutes. he was in the crowd. he did not speak going into the hearing room. he didn't answer questions from reporters. then afterwards, his lawyer just gave a prepared statement. hunter biden did not really engage with reporters afterwards. clearly he's trying to make a point here. he is trying to make the point that once again he is willing to speak to republicans as long as it is in a public setting. and that is really what this contentious fight over the contempt proceedings boils down to. it also comes amid the broader picture of house republicans struggling to prove that president biden either profit or

made policy decisions because of his son's foreign business deals. they have made it a centerpiece of their impeachment inquiry into the president. they have struggled to provide evidence. so now they are moving ahead with contempt proceedings which is going to be a showdown. this is probably going to pass out of the house oversight committee and out of the house judiciary committee, then it will go to the full floor. then it autopsy up -- then it's up to the dodge to determine whether to prosecute. it was a circus, another day on capitol hill, guys. >> we're use today to drama on capitol hill. that was unscripted drama right there and the bad reality show genre. >> i don't remember that happening. we're going to -- we're going to hold -- not even a contempt hearing. but we're going to hold a hearing specifically about one person who they say hasn't shown up, and then they show up -- i don't remember this -- anything like this happening. clearly they were surprised. >> it was a schoolyard brawl basically. and the words being used were so uncouth, i'm not going to report some of them. but we heard from congress

people using all kinds of words that you would normally not hear in the halls of congress. never mind in a committee and on television. it just shows you how things have changed and the way people fight now. >> thanks to melanie zanona on capitol hill. we'll be right back.

all right. so the breaking news of what we saw unfold. one house hearing set to hold a president's son in contempt for not showing up to testify. just surprised -- the committee surprised when that president's son, hunter biden, shows up to the committee hearing. mayhem ensues as you just saw.

another house hearing also getting under way. the first hearing in the republican push to impeach biden's homeland security secretary, alejandro mayorkas, over border policy. and all at the same time, congress is also careening once again toward a government shutdown as efforts to reach a funding deal, there was progress but also now hitting a major snag. the calendar and need for a short-term band-aid. catch all that? joining us now, democratic congressman from illinois mike quigley. there's a lot going on capitol hill, but i will also argue a lot of theatrics and not a lot of actual progress. let's start with the mayhem that we just saw ensue in that house hearing over hunter biden when he just showed up. for our viewers, so you know, the congressman -- you were plugged in and waiting for our conversation when all of this played out. you heard it live along with us. what's your reaction to what happened? >> you know, in the interim, my staffer handed me the quote from john adams, there must be decency and respect and

veneration introduced for persons of authority, or we are not done. yes, the circus is in town. i missed the coverage of the dancing bears. but the serious context of this is we have two international crises to address, and we haven't got close to passing those supplementals. we haven't funded our government. i know there's a tentative deal, but many -- the slip between the cup and the lip, we had a deal in june and didn't get it done then. so there are critical issues that have to be resolved, and as you say, we're dealing with theatrics. >> there is always theatrics in public hearings. we know this. this is a tale as old as time. what's unusual is seeing kind of the target of the hearing surprise the hearing to show up. there was some conversation about rules of appearing before the committee -- i don't know if you know the rules of the committee, if there's a three day heads-up or if hunter biden

could have sat at the table, taken the oath, and testified publicly. how unusual that is, and what does this mean for how this is going to go going forward? what do you think? >> i think the problem began some time ago. frankly under the trump administration when trump officials and members of congress decided they didn't have to obey lawful subpoenas. you need to obey a lawful subpoena, but you have to agree to negotiations and how you go forward. i'm the chair of the transparency caucus. i don't see what the problem is with hunter biden appearing in public. i hear a lot of people say what are you afraid of, well, let the american people decide, you know, let them judge. let hunter biden testify publicly and solve these questions. and in the meantime, we're -- if we're going to waste the people's time, can we get our business done first? >> let's try to run through some of the business. i don't know if you're going to put some their -- put this into

the waste category or business category. house republicans moving to possibly impeach alejandro mayorkas over the border. negotiators in the senate say they're making progress toward landing on a deal that includes doing more border security. do you think in the end the deal is going to be good enough for democrats? setting aside mayorkas for a second. >> i'm not exactly sure where they are. but let's remember that the president offered a deal to dramatically increase border security last october. my friends across the aisle refused to put it on the floor. i think there's room for these discussions and good compromise. if there's no good faith, it won't get done. >> do you think alejandro mayorkas has done a good job when it comes to managing the crisis at the border, congressman? >> extraordinarily difficult time. i think he's done the best he can. he needs a lot more resources. let's remember the system was dismantled under the previous administration. we need those hearing officers, we need hire border security. we need to put the system in

place. and by the way, we need to pass compr comprehensin-- comprehensive immigration reform. things that should have been done 10, 12, 13 years ago. that's not the secretary's thought. he clearly hasn't done anything to be impeached. we haven't impeached a secretary since post civil war, and there's no reason to start now. >> you are the co-chair of the house ukraine caucus. funding seen as critical for ukraine's war effort is wrapped up in this conversation about the negotiations over the border and border security. i know that you think connecting all of it is a bad idea from the start, but this is where you are. do you see a chance if and when they present a deal on this supplemental, do you see a chance of voting against this money for ukraine, the money for ukraine? no matter what border policy changes would be included in that? >> you know, it always depends on what the circumstances are. in the end we have to fund this

conflict, most important war since the second world war. our national security's dependent upon this. look, they're running out of time, running out of resources. lives are at stake. democracy is at stake. and our resolve is being judged by our friends and our opponents. so it's critical we get it done. i have no idea where they are in the negotiations. we can do all these things if we remind ourselves that there's more that unites us than divides us. >> that is true. hard, though, to say that and see that on capitol hill in this very moment, especially what we've seen this morning. congressman quigley, thank you very much. >> thank you. >> sara? >> all right. great interview. next, an explosive moment happening just moments ago on capitol hill. kate just talking about it, you just saw it here on "cnn news central." hunter biden making a surprise appearance at that house committee proceeding, and boy,

fireworks, big ones. how the white house may respond coming up.

total theatrics on capitol hill this hour as president joe biden's son, hunter biden, unexpectedly showed up at a house committee proceeding right as lawmakers were set to consider holding him in contempt

of congress. arlette saenz is joining us from the white house. that was unusual to say the least. no one was anding those sorts of exchange -- was expecting those sorts of exchange with congressman nancy mace and congressman moskowitz. it was a battle royale with words, luckily it didn't come to blows. has the white house, first of all, responded to what's happening on the hill? i am certain they have seen it. >> reporter: so far we are still waiting to hear from the white house for specific reaction to the fact that hunter biden appeared up on capitol hill. we're waiting to hear whether the white house or president biden had any advance notice that the president's son would be doing this today. ahead of this hearing, this markup, white house counsel spokesperson ian sands pushed back on what they've called baseless attacks by these house gop investigations into both president biden and his son's business dealings. that is something that we've heard repeatedly from the white house. one that the president supports his son, but also this belief

that these investigations are simply political theater and political stunts. officials here at the white house repeatedly point to the fact that so far these house gop investigations have yet to turn up any evidence of wrongdoing on the president's behalf as they are exploring some of these questions relating to hunter biden's business dealings. but really at this moment we've seen republicans really eager to try keep these issues front and center, especially as the 2024 campaign is heating up. republicans are hoping that if they continue to push these messages about painting the biden family as corrupt that that is something that could sink in with voters. i think only time will tell if that will actually be the case. we are still waiting to learn a few more details about what kind of advanced heads-up if any the white house or president biden got today as hunter biden appeared there up on capitol hill. i will note that back in december when hunter biden went and spoke outside of the capitol, the day that they did not appear for a closed door

deposition, president biden was familiar with what hunter biden was going to say in his remarks. that is what the white house had said at the time. so there is a possibility that the president had some type of advanced notice, but we're w waiting to hear from the white house. >> i think that is the biggest question in our minds is did the white house know that hunter biden was going to show up. we don't know the full answer, but it's hard to not know what your son is doing when there is such a firestorm around him. we will wait and see all of the information that you get, arlette saenz. for now, thank you so much for your reporting. toss it over to john. with us now cnn legal analyst norm icitzeizen, counse the first primpeachment. what we saw, hunter biden showing up for this hearing, sitting next to him, you can see his attorney, abby lowell right there. two aspects to this, norm. number one, that the theatrics and showmanship, the politics.

number two, the law. first, explain the showmanship here. >> hunter biden is tired of being kicked around and maligned in the public eye. abby lowell is famous. i've known him and worked with him for many years, john, for a very aggressive pushback strategy. so the public relations objective here was to make the point hunter biden is willing to answer any questions the committee had. you heard that in the press conference, any proper questions. but he wants to do it publicly. the legal point is what is known as the accommodations process. you have to reasonably offer to negotiate, both sides do, and the courts look at that when there's enforcement of contempt like what is being considered here. so it really was a very powerful

move to the basket on both the pr and the legal fronts by hunter and his lawyer. >> on the legal side right here, i don't think there's much question that this committee led by republican james comer will vote to hold hunter biden in contempt. the house, the full house probably will even with a narrow majority. but ultimately, this will be up to the justice department. and the fact that hunter biden showed up at this hearing today. how would that weigh into a decision about whether to prosecute? >> i think the fact that he showed up today is probably more of a -- an exclamation point or a highlight on the key legal issue the doj is going to have to decide which is has hunter made a reasonable offer by agreeing to testify in it's in public. and he does have some powerful arguments in that regard, john,

that will be considered by doj. because there have been a series of -- inaccuracies, distortions, and unfavorable depictions of what happens behind closed doors by mr. comer and by mr. jordan, who are leading this investigation. and for that reason, doj will say, well, hunter kind of has a point here. i think it helps him, and today's appearance is just a reminder to the world of his negotiating position. >> i got to let you run -- quickly, we don't know yet if the white house was given an early warning that this was going to happen. you've been inside the white house as a lawyer. do you think the white house lawyers are excited that hunter biden was up there? >> no. i think the white house is keen to have all things hunter biden be as low profile as possible in this election year. they were probably the least

pleased of anyone in washington. but from hunter's perspective, a sound pr and legal move. >> ambassador norm eisen, thank you so much. kate? so we are following a lot of breaking news, a lot of moving parts this morning in today's show. it is debate night in america in iowa. right here on cnn we're going to see that big debate tonight. what will we hear from nikki haley and ron desantis? how high are the stakes? and will it make a difference with voters? much more ahead.