Hunter Biden declines to attend public hearing in U.S. House

U.S. President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden has declined an invitation to attend an open hearing before a Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives committee conducting an impeachment probe of his father, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

"Your blatant planned-for-media event is not a proper proceeding but an obvious attempt to throw a Hail Mary pass after the game has ended," attorney Abbe Lowell said.

House Republicans had invited Hunter Biden as well as three of his former associates to a hearing on March 20 as part of their inquiry.

House Republicans allege that the president and his family have improperly profited from policy decisions Biden participated in as vice president in 2009-17, but have not provided evidence of Biden financially benefiting. The White House has denied wrongdoing.