(Headline USA) Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the ranking Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, sent a letter this week to the owner of the art gallery that will host Hunter Biden’s art exhibition, demanding to know who will attend Biden’s exhibition and purchase his artwork.
Citing ethical concerns, Comer argued that lawmakers have the right to know whether potential art buyers will use Biden’s exhibit to exploit his political connections.
He asked Georges Berges, the New York art dealer who will host Biden’s show, to give Congress information about the ethical arrangements Biden worked out with the White House, as well as information about who is attending the event.
“The documents requested from you will inform and are pertinent to our oversight of any attempts to seek improper influence with the Biden Administration by anonymous benefactors, and understanding the process you are purportedly undertaking to shield the Administration from any influence by those procuring Mr. Biden’s art,” Comer wrote, according to the New York Post.
Comer also cited Hunter Biden’s past shady business deals, including his work with Chinese and Ukrainian companies in which he leveraged his father’s political status.
“For years, Mr. Biden has attempted to profit off his father’s position in government, and the art deals are merely the latest iteration of these efforts. The investigation into Mr. Biden’s business ventures, and those who have aided him in his dubious endeavors, has been ongoing for over two years, and, if necessary, will continue into the next Congress,” Comer wrote.
Several ethics experts have raised concerns about Biden’s art show, warning that potential buyers might see their purchases as a connection to the White House.
“What these people are paying for is Hunter Biden’s last name,” said Walter Shaub, who led the Office of Government Ethics under former president Barack Obama.
Another ethical concern is the gallery’s decision to withhold all transactional records — including the identities of bidders and final buyers, and the amounts paid for the artwork.
“Because we don’t know who is paying for this art and we don’t know for sure that [Hunter Biden] knows, we have no way of monitoring whether people are buying access to the White House,” Shaub said.
