Hunter Biden on Wednesday declined an invitation from Republicans in the House of Representatives to appear next week with former business partners for a public hearing, an investigation his lawyer dismissed as a side issue.

In a letter obtained by the Associated Press, Abbe Lowell, the attorney for the president’s son, denounced Republicans’ efforts to bring his client before a public hearing after he delivered a nearly seven-hour deposition last month.

Your final step, this March 6 invitation, is not a serious oversight proceeding, Lowell said in the letter. It is your attempt to revive the Conference’s moribund investigation with a circus act made for the right-wing media.”

The invitation sent last week by Rep. James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, included three former business associates of Biden, all of whom are currently facing their own legal challenges.

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Your idea of ​​congressional fact-finding is, astonishingly, for Mr. Biden to show up with the discredited witnesses you continue to promote, Lowell continued.

The committee’s fourteen-month investigation into the Biden family has focused mainly on Hunter Biden’s overseas work in countries such as Ukraine and China. While lawmakers have exposed ethically questionable behavior by the president’s son and other family members, Republicans have yet to provide evidence of misconduct by Joe Biden while in office.

The rejection of the invitation comes after Hunter Biden and his lawyer insisted late last year that he appear for a public hearing instead of the private deposition, citing concerns that Republican lawmakers would distort his interview. The two sides ultimately agreed to first provide testimony, followed by a public hearing.

In response, Comer said the committee called Hunter Biden’s bluff.

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Hunter Biden has said for months that he wanted a public hearing, but now that it is being offered alongside his business partners with whom he has worked for years, he is refusing to attend, the Kentucky Republican said.

But Lowell said his client would appear for a hearing only if it were a legitimate exercise of congressional authority, including looking at the efforts of relatives of the former president.

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Comer said the March 20 hearing would go ahead regardless and that Republicans fully expect Hunter Biden to participate.

He added: “The American people demand the truth and accountability for the Bidens’ corruption.

Amiri writes for the Associated Press.