U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner has turned down a White House invitation to attend a state dinner this week in honor of Chinese President Hu Jintao, Boehner's office said on Tuesday. Michael Steel, a spokesman for the Republican leader from Ohio, said that Boehner will not attend the Wednesday event but he “will have a substantive meeting with President Hu later this week.” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters he did not know why Boehner had turned down the invitation and that Obama had invited congressional leaders of both parties as guests to the event. “We hope that because of the importance of the relationship that they would attend,” said Gibbs.
