Hunter Biden’s amateur art career created an “ethics nightmare” according to the gallery owner who spoke with the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday.
Gallery owner Georges Bergès revealed that the names of buyers “who purchased roughly 70% of the value of his art,” are known by the son of President Joe Biden, according to Oversight Republicans as the impeachment inquiry into the president continues.
“The Biden White House appears to have deceived the American people about facilitating an ethics agreement governing the sale of Hunter Biden’s art,” said House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) in a statement issued Tuesday.
“Hunter Biden’s gallerist never had any communication with the White House about such an agreement to make sure there was any sort of ethics compliance at all, and he provided information to the committee revealing how Hunter Biden’s amateur art career is an ethics nightmare,” Comer continued following the transcribed interview with Bergès.
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
Today, we interviewed Hunter Biden’s art dealer, Georges Bergès. He revealed how Hunter Biden’s amateur art career is an ethics nightmare.
It turns out, the vast majority of Hunter Biden’s art has been purchased by Democrat donors.
🧵 Below are a few key…
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) January 9, 2024
“The vast majority of Hunter Biden’s art has been purchased by Democrat donors, one of whom was appointed by President Biden to a prestigious commission after she purchased Hunter Biden’s art for tens of thousands of dollars shortly after Joe Biden’s inauguration,” Comer added.
The Committee revealed that the “White House’s ‘ethics’ agreement regarding Hunter Biden’s art was a sham,” despite the administration’s insistence to the contrary.
“The White House never facilitated any agreement, despite saying the opposite to the public. Georges Bergès stated he never had any communication with the White House about an agreement about Hunter Biden’s art,” the Committee explained in a press release, adding that “Big money Democrat donors advanced and purchased the majority of Hunter Biden’s art.”
The White House said they crafted an agreement to keep Hunter’s art buyers confidential to avoid ethical issues.
But Hunter’s art dealer says he had no communication with the White House about an agreement. pic.twitter.com/oCFwpCakZi
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) January 9, 2024
Those donors included entertainment lawyer Kevin Morris who reportedly bought Biden’s art for $875,000.
Georges Bergès revealed Kevin Morris purchased most of Hunter Biden’s art for $875,000 in January 2023.
However, Kevin Morris only paid Mr. Bergès 40% commission of the $875,000 purchase, and Hunter Biden and Kevin Morris figured out the financial implications.
Bergès admitted…
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) January 9, 2024
In addition, Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali reportedly bought artwork before and after the president appointed her to the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad.
In 2020, Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali did not buy Hunter Biden’s art despite Georges Bergès’ best efforts.
Within two months of Joe Biden becoming President, in February 2021, Ms. Naftali purchased her first piece of Hunter Biden’s artwork for $42,000.
Then in July 2022,…
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) January 9, 2024
Bergès “confirmed Hunter Biden’s name had influence on setting the price for his art,” according to the Oversight Republicans.
“Georges Bergès stated that he has talked on the phone and met in-person with Joe Biden, even attending the wedding the Bidens hosted at the White House,” the Committee noted.
During Tuesday’s White House press briefing, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about Bergès appearing before lawmakers but bluntly said she would not comment on the subject.
Karine Jean-Pierre Dodges Questions About Hunter Biden’s Art Dealer Testifying On The Hill pic.twitter.com/oZPS2GgmIn
— Random Videos (@randvideos) January 10, 2024
As Comer concluded i his statement, “The White House has a lot of explaining to do about misleading the American people.”
The White House has a lot of explaining to do about misleading the American people.
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) January 9, 2024
The gallerist’s testimony followed Monday’s report that House Republicans released a resolution to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with a subpoena to testify.
“Mr. Biden’s flagrant defiance of the Committees’ deposition subpoenas — while choosing to appear nearby on the Capitol grounds to read a prepared statement on the same matters — is contemptuous, and he must be held accountable for his unlawful actions,” the report said. “Accordingly, the chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability recommends that Congress find Robert Hunter Biden in contempt for his failure to comply with the committee subpoena issued to him.”
