Hunter Biden’s debut on the art scene coincided with his father President Joe Biden’s election as US president, his New York-based art gallerist Georges Berges revealed during recent Congressional testimony.
Berges said the first sale of Hunter's artwork through their collaboration occurred on December 11, 2020, shortly after they formalized their agreement in 2020. Their relationship commenced in 2019, initiated by Hollywood producer and Democratic donor Lanette Phillips.
The gallerist clarified that his connection with Hunter Biden predates Joe Biden's presidential election, stating, "I met him maybe a year before his dad even was elected." The initial introduction by Phillips led to a collaboration founded on a mutual appreciation for Hunter Biden's art and personal journey.
In December 2020, the art vendor entered a contract with a 60-40 percent split between Hunter and himself. Their partnership continued with a new contract in September 2021 featuring a slight commission increase for Hunter. Initially Hunter had access to his art buyers' identities, but this provision changed in the second contract. After President Biden's inauguration, Democratic donor Elizabeth Naftali bought Hunter's art pieces for $52,000 in February 2021 and $42,000 in December 2022.
Despite Elizabeth Naftali's appointment by President Biden to a preservation commission, the art vendor denies disclosing buyer information to the White House. Berges, a donor to Republican and Democratic politicians, sold around $1.5 million worth of Hunter Biden's art, with Hollywood attorney Kevin Morris contributing $875,000 to total sales. Hunter's art dealer also confirmed exclusive representation of the president's son in the art world.
Hunter Biden has a history of controversy, notably highlighted by a New York Post exposé. The article revealed alleged unethical and potentially illegal influence peddling by his father, Joe Biden, based on damning emails obtained from a laptop reportedly abandoned by Hunter at a Delaware repair shop.
Documents indicated that then-Vice President Biden met Vadym Pozharskyi, a Burisma executive, less than a year before Ukraine's General Prosecutor Viktor Shokin was fired at the vice president's request. Additional emails hinted at a business venture with a Chinese firm, allocating "20 [percent] for H[unter]" and "10 percent" for "the big guy." Former associate Tony Bobulinski suggested that the "big guy" was Joe Biden.
Hunter Biden faced a Justice Department tax probe dating back to 2018 linked to suspicious foreign transactions. The Biden scandal, however, was allegedly downplayed with media and Silicon Valley's assistance. Social media companies restricted access to the "laptop from hell" story and former US intelligence officials dismissed it as potential "Russian disinformation."
Investigative journalist Jason Goodman asserts that the Bidens show indifference to ethical concerns in their influence peddling. He suggests the Bidens are shielded by law enforcement, big tech, and the mainstream media, allowing them to rest easy. The Biden administration appears to reciprocate this protection.
House Republicans are contemplating holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress amid ongoing questions about the ethics of his art sales. Berges asserts that artistic appreciation, not political affiliation, influenced the sales. The situation is evolving, and there are prospects of subpoenas for Hunter Biden to testify before Congress.