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A transcript from a House panel’s closed-door interview with Hunter’s art dealer Georges Bergès, provides the most complete picture, to date, of Hunter Biden’s artwork, including when his paintings have been sold and for how much.
In total, there have been 10 buyers of the art, who have paid a sum of $1.5 million. Under their agreement, the gallerist received 40 percent of the sales while Biden took 60 percent. Three of the buyers have been identified, while the other seven remain anonymous.
The largest share of the work — 11 paintings, for a total of $875,000 — went to Kevin Morris. Morris has become one of Biden’s closest friends while also acting as Hunter's lender, investor, confidant, his attorney and as Hunter's very generous financial benefactor.
Democratic donor Elizabeth Naftali bought two pieces of Biden’s, one for $52,000 and another for $42,000. President Biden appointed her in 2022 to the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad.
William Jacques, an art collector whom Bergès described as a “really good friend” and part-owner of his gallery, bought four pieces for a total of $122,500.
There are seven other buyers, but they have remained anonymous, according to Bergès. He suggested that those purchasers were longtime collectors and customers of his.
Some Republicans and ethics experts have questioned whether buying Hunter Biden’s paintings could be a dubious way for individuals to curry favor with the White House, given that works of art are notoriously hard to value and the president’s son is not an established artist.
Biden’s circle strongly denies this, saying the paintings have merit and that none of the purchasers want anything from the White House. They also note that most of them have remained anonymous, making it impossible for them to seek favors in exchange for their purchases.
Bergès entered into his art dealer arrangement with Hunter Biden in early December 2020, shortly after Joe Biden was elected president but before he was sworn in. Jacques purchased a painting for $40,000 that month, and one of the unidentified buyers also bought one.
In February 2021, Jacques purchased two more paintings for $25,000 each. Naftali purchased a painting titled “Mother and Daughter” that month for $42,000. Jacques and Naftali did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. When her name was revealed as a buyer last year and she was questioned by House Republicans, Naftali’s attorney defended the purchases. Jason Abel, wrote in a letter to Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.). “To be clear, Ms. Naftali purchased the artwork solely because she liked the art, and the prices were reasonable.” He also said that she did not seek out a position on the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad, and that it came at the instigation not of the White House but of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). “Any attempt to link Ms. Naftali’s art purchases to her appointment to the Commission is also baseless,” Abel wrote.
The House Judiciary and Oversight committees interviewed Bergès on Jan. 9 in a closed-door session led by a committee lawyer. The panels, which are conducting an impeachment inquiry into President Biden that has yielded little public evidence of wrongdoing, is scheduled to interview Hunter Biden on Feb. 28 after a lengthy back-and-forth over the terms.
Bergès was asked numerous times during his interview about White House involvement in his arrangement with the Georges Bergès Gallery as first described by The Washington Post in July 2021. The Post reported that White House attorneys, concerned about potential ethical issues, urged that any buyers of Hunter’s paintings be kept confidential, a practice that was adopted.
Bergès testified that (despite reports to the contrary) he never spoke with anyone from the White House, and claimed that he was surprised to read reports about the Biden WH's "ethics" arrangement.
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Morris’ “catch me if you can” testimony to Congress reeked with
the self-serving odor of an individual who knows he’s well-connected.
So whatever the Congress does, Morris knows the Bidens will put the kibosh to it.
Joe Biden will never allow the Congress to hurt his baby boy, Hunter.
Speaking of painting... So this Irish guy knocks on this lady's door and says, you know, "Have you got any, uh... Any, uh... work for me?" And she says, "Um, well, you now, as a matter of fact, you could paint the porch." Two hours later, he comes back and says, "I'm finished, ma'am, but just for your information, it's not a Porsche, it's a BMW."