The art dealer for first son Hunter Biden was grilled by House Republicans Tuesday over suspicious transactions that netted tremendous profits. Many believe the exorbitant purchase prices were little more than donations to the president’s family.
Georges Berges revealed to congressional investigators that the buyers of the artwork included Democratic donors. However, when confronted by reporters after his testimony he only responded with “no comment.”
Berges owns a New York art gallery that featured pieces painted by Hunter Biden. They were sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars, leading to suspicions over the legitimacy of the transactions.
Buyers reportedly include well-heeled Democratic donors Kevin Morris and Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali.
Morris, a personal friend of Hunter’s, was recently revealed as the buyer of the first son’s stake in a Chinese investment company. While doing so, he generously assumed a $250,000 debt the president’s son was responsible for.
Watch: Rep. Comer: White House ethics agreement for sales of Hunter Biden’s art was ‘another lie’ https://t.co/83pwcoQi1Z
— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) January 10, 2024
The Daily Mail reported that Morris shelled out $875,000 to the art gallery for Biden artwork in Jan. 2023. The benefactor also assisted Hunter with his sprawling legal troubles along with tax payments and living expenses.
As for Naftali, she purchased Hunter’s masterpieces before and after the Biden White House bestowed her with a highly sought after appointment.
She was honored with a position on the Commission for Preserving America’s Heritage Abroad. Naftali shelled out $42,000 for artwork before her 2021 appointment and another $52,000 the following year.
Berges further confirmed on Tuesday that he did not coordinate with the White House on rules of ethics. This would have ensured that purchasers stayed anonymous and prevented the strong appearance of impropriety.
His testimony on the lack of ethical safeguards also flatly contradicted previous assertions by White House aides.
The art dealer’s appearance coincided with the House impeachment inquiry into his father’s involvement in his son’s shady international business dealings while he was vice president.
In a statement, Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) declared the White House “appears to have deceived the American people about facilitating an ethics agreement governing the sale of Hunter Biden’s art.”
He added that the administration “has a lot of explaining to do.”
