Oversight Republicans Demand Details on Hunter Biden's Art Sales

Republicans on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability in a letter Wednesday pushed for more details on the sales of Hunter Biden's artwork, calling on his art dealer to supply details concerning the buyers who have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for his creations.

The move comes as the committee steps up its probe into the business dealing of President Joe Biden's son. It repeats a request the GOP lawmakers had made while they were in the House minority of art dealer Georges Berges, who has not responded to previous requests, reports The Wall Street Journal.

"Despite being a novice artist, Hunter Biden received exorbitant amounts of money selling his artwork, the buyers' identities remain unknown, and you appear to be the sole record-keeper of these lucrative transactions," committee Chairman Rep. James Comer wrote to Berges, adding that since the Republican Congress members last requested the information, there has been another exhibit of Hunter Biden's artwork at Berges' SoHo gallery in New York City.

In a release about the letter, Comer said the committee wants Berges to provide information concerning the people who bought Biden's artwork anonymously and "all communications between his New York gallery and the White House about their deal to hide these purchasers' identities."

The letter says that the committee is "investigating President Joe Biden and his family's foreign and domestic influence-peddling schemes."

"For over a decade, the Biden family has profited from Joe Biden's positions as a public official," Comer wrote. "Your arrangement with Hunter Biden raises serious ethics concerns and calls into question whether the Biden family is again selling access and influence."

House Republicans said Berges has not responded to previous requests, but that their latest demand may carry more weight now that they control the chamber, particularly as the Oversight Committee has subpoena powers.

Comer also pointed out in the letter that the prices for Biden's artwork range from $55,000 to $225,000, and that it "is concerning that President Biden's son is the recipient of anonymous, high-dollar transactions — potentially from foreign buyers — with no accountability or oversight (other than you)."

The Georges Berges Gallery earlier this month posted Biden's latest art collection on its Instagram page, showing paintings that depict abstract flowers and trees and are a mixture of acrylic and ink on metal.

Comer sought a response to his letter by Feb. 8 and requested Berges be interviewed by the Oversight Committee before Feb. 13.

Berges did not respond to a request from The Wall Street Journal for comment, and the White House deferred any comments to Hunter Biden's legal team.

Meanwhile, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the ranking Democrat on the committee, said Comer's letter "shows how far and how early our colleagues have already gotten off track in the new Congress. The purpose of legislative oversight is to make sure government programs and policies are working for the American people. I don't see how this modern art investigation contributes."

The White House Counsel's Office had worked on a system so Hunter Biden could sell his art without him or anyone in the White House being told about the buyers, and which directs Berges not to share information about them.

Biden's son hasn't been charged in any criminal activities, and his father said he's not involved in his son's actions.

Comer, meanwhile, has also asked Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to turn over the Biden family banking transactions and those of their associates that have been flagged by banks, and for Twitter executives responsible for blocking a New York Post story about the contents of Hunter Biden's laptop to testify at a committee hearing set for Feb. 8.