Hunter Biden’s art dealer in Manhattan refused to provide information about Hunter’s paintings to the congressional committee.
According to The Post, the first son’s Manhattan art dealer refused to comply with the request amid the investigation into the Biden family’s illegal business dealings.
In a letter sent to Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability on February 6, lawyer for art dealer Georges Berges complained about complying with the demands of the committee to see records regarding the clients who have purchased Hunter’s work.
The letter comes amid threats that refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena could lead to a fine of up to $1,000 and up to a year in prison.
On Wednesday, the committee is set to begin hearings into the matter.
In an exclusive report published by The Post, the media outlet claimed that it “has seen the letter from attorney William Pittard, who represents Berges and Georges Berges Galleries LLC. It notes that providing information about the buyers would violate White House rules that were set up specifically to deal with the sale of Hunter Biden’s artwork in 2021.”
Georges Bergès, the art dealer who sold Hunter Biden’s paintings to anonymous buyers, failed to provide information by Monday’s deadline to the House Oversight Committee, according to a report. https://t.co/uDHWKSHgqN— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) March 29, 2023
“Providing the documents and information requested in your letter seemingly would defeat the efforts of Mr. Biden and the White House to avoid the ‘serious ethics concerns’ that you raise,” Pittard wrote.
The lawyer also cited the July 2021 press briefing where former press secretary Jen Psaki laid out the ground rules for the sale of the art.
According to Psaki, one of the “safeguards” included the maintenance of the confidentiality of the buyers “because if the White House was not aware of those buyers, it would seem impossible for the administration to grant the buyers any favors based on the purchases.”
“In light of these considerations, providing the documents and information requested in
your letter seemingly would defeat the efforts of Mr. Biden and the White House to avoid the ‘serious ethics concerns’ that you raise. Mr. Bergès hopes that you and Mr. Biden can resolve that tension,” Pittards added.
The letter also states that Berges’ attorney pointed to a “2020 US Supreme Court decision that effectively prevented three congressional committees including the Committee on Oversight and Accountability from seeking ‘documents revealing ‘transactions by the president and his family,’” New York Post reported.
