House GOP preps Hunter Biden associate to testify from prison

Driving the news: Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) wrote to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) on Monday asking for permission for Jason Galanis to testify to his panel remotely on Wednesday.

• "He is unable to attend the hearing in-person as he is currently in federal custody; the Federal Bureau of Prisons has agreed to allow him to testify remotely," he wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by Axios.
• Comer said Galanis' situation "presents an exception circumstance worth consideration for his remote participation" and his testimony is "critical to both the impeachment inquiry and to further the Committee's legislative purposes."
• A Scalise spokesperson told Axios they will grant Comer written permission to have Galanis testify.

The backdrop: Galanis is serving a 14-year prison sentence after being convicted of securities fraud, investment adviser fraud and other charges.

• The committee previously interviewed him in a closed-door deposition last month, but the testimony failed to turn up solid evidence linking President Biden to his son's business affairs.

State of play: The Wednesday hearing will also feature Hunter Biden associates Devon Archer and Tony Bobulinski.

• The committee invited Hunter Biden to testify, but his legal team rejected the offer to appear at what they termed a "carnival side show."