Hunter Biden’s upcoming art exhibit is under new scrutiny.
The Republican of rank within the House Oversight Committee asks the gallery owner who hosts the exhibition to detail the ethical rules in place to block the identity of White House buyers.
The art exhibition could bring millions to the First Son.
Representative James Comer (R-Ky.) Sent a letter obtained by The Post to Hunter’s New York art dealer Georges Berges, insisting that he provide documents on the ethical arrangements being worked out with the White House and informs the panel of potential buyers. who attended the opening, and buyers of young Biden’s work.
“The documents requested from you will inform and are relevant to our monitoring of any attempt to unduly influence the Biden administration by anonymous benefactors, and include the process you are expected to undertake to protect the administration from any influence from these. get hold of Mr. Biden’s art, ”Comer wrote in the letter, which was sent Thursday.
“In addition, your documents and information could inform ethics legislation,” the congressman continued.
The letter to Berges follows one sent on September 7 requesting documents on the sale, in which the novice artist’s works will sell for between $ 75,000 and $ 500,000 each.
Comer said the committee did not receive those documents before Tuesday’s deadline.
“This investigation, which includes your gallery’s role in Mr. Biden’s plans, is intended to prevent some fairly obvious opportunities for violation of ethics or national security,” Comer wrote in Thursday’s letter.
In his previous letter, Comer questioned the ethical precautions taken between the White House and Berges, and expressed concerns that those seeking to influence President Biden could purchase art at extremely inflated prices. to fill Hunter’s bank account and curry favor with the President.
Comer also pointed to the scandal-marked son’s questionable foreign relations and his lucrative work with Chinese and Ukrainian energy companies, which The Post revealed in a series of briefings last October to implicate Joe Biden.
“For years, Mr. Biden tried to take advantage of his father’s position in government, and the art deals are just the latest iteration of those efforts. The investigation into Mr. Biden’s business ventures, and those who aided him in his dubious endeavors, has been going on for more than two years and, if necessary, will continue until the next Congress, ”the letter said.
“The American people will not believe that overnight Mr. Biden was simply called upon to give up his earlier careers as a lawyer, lobbyist and ‘unskilled oil and gas advisor … working alongside post oligarchs. -Soviet ”to become an artist,” Comer added.
The White House did not immediately return a request for comment.
The gallery was not immediately accessible.
Fifteen works of art by Hunter will be on display at the Georges Berges Gallery in Soho in October.
”A lawyer by profession, Hunter Biden now devotes his energy to the creative arts, bringing countless experiences to his credit. The results are powerful and impactful paintings ranging from photogenic to mixed media to the abstract, ” the gallery said in his description of the exhibition.
The arrangement between Berges and the White House to prevent Hunter from meeting with potential buyers raised ethical eyebrows when a CBS News report in July said the president’s son would meet buyers at art exhibitions in Los Angeles and in the Big Apple.
The report led White House press secretary Jen Psaki to question whether the deal had been scuttled.
“He will not have any conversations related to the sale of works of art. This will be left to the gallery owner, as stated in the deal we announced just a few weeks ago, ”Psaki told reporters.
“We won’t know who the buyers are. Hunter Biden will not know who the buyers are. So I think this series of questions, which is understandable, is whether that would create a situation of undue influence, but we won’t know who they are, ”she said. “So there is no scenario where they could exert influence.”
Comer has set a deadline of September 29 for Berges to respond to the House committee.
Along with the briefing, Comer requested documents and any communication between the gallery and the White House, including a copy of the ethical guidelines for the sale.
He also demanded any signed agreements, contracts or other documents between the gallery and Hunter, as well as documents describing how prices were set for the artwork.
Comer is also looking for information on who attended the opening and who purchased Hunter’s work.
No Comment