WASHINGTON — Hunter Biden abruptly reversed his defiance of House Republican impeachment investigators, offering to testify before them privately after insisting he would only answer their questions in public.

Biden’s lawyer made the offer in a letter Friday just two days after the presidential son showed up at a meeting of a House committee voting on a contempt recommendation against him, a move aimed at underscoring his bid to address questions publicly.

The attorney, Abbe Lowell, cited a legal issue in the letter to two Republican committee chairmen who had ordered Hunter Biden to answer questions behind closed doors. Lowell argued the subpoenas the panels issued are legally deficient, but a new summons would be valid because the House has since formally authorized an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden.

“If you issue a new proper subpoena, now that there is a duly authorized impeachment, Mr. Biden will comply for a hearing or deposition,” Lowell wrote.

Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and Oversight Chairman James Comer said in a joint statement they were “heartened” by the offer but would continue to press for a contempt prosecution against Hunter Biden until he “confirms a date to appear for a private deposition.”

The top Democrat on the Oversight panel said the offer should be taken up.

“It is time for Chairs Comer and Jordan to call off this truly absurd and wasteful contempt proceeding and finally take yes for an answer, which Chair Jordan already said he would ‘certainly’ do,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland.

Hunter Biden remained silent during his appearing this week at the contempt hearing. Both panels advanced resolutions calling on the House to find him in contempt, and the House has tentatively set the vote for next week.

If the House votes to find Biden in contempt, Speaker Mike Johnson would choose whether to forward the matter to the Justice Department, which would decide whether to prosecute.

House Republicans for more than two years have been investigating Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings and those of other Biden family members, including looking for evidence of whether the president knew of, or profited from, the business activities of his son.

The House in December formally voted along party lines to authorize he impeachment inquiry into the president’s potential involvement, despite concerns among some in the GOP that the investigation has yet to produce evidence of misconduct by the president.