The former ethics chief for the Obama administration slammed the Biden White House for creating a deal in which the buyers of Hunter Biden’s artwork will be kept secret. 

Walter Shaub, who was the Director of the United States Office of Government Ethics from 2013 to 2017, sounded off on Hunter Biden’s new money-making venture and the White House’s role in it. 

Shaub stated, “There is simply no way an artist who has never even juried into a community center art fair is going to suddenly show up in New York selling art for half a million a pop. Let’s talk about the magnitude of this… That’s $6.5 million going to the president’s son for being the president’s son, not for being an artist and I just think that’s absolutely appalling.”

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Not Good Optics

Shaub also added that the White House becoming involved could potentially pave the way for “the perfect mechanism for funneling bribes.” 

Buyers are expected to pay up to $500,000 for Hunter’s “art,” despite his total lack of experience or artistic recognition. 

Back in July, the Washington Post reported that the Georges Berges Gallery, who is representing Hunter Biden’s artwork, agreed that the names of buyer’s would not be made available to Hunter, or to the general public all in an effort to avoid any whiff of ethics problems. 

Shaub argues that the anonymity is part of the problem. Buyers could be setting up the possibility of pay-to-play schemes. Schaub also stated that, “We have no way of monitoring whether people are buying access to the White House.”

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Not Hunter’s First Foray 

In late July, Hunter Biden made his own appearance on an art-related podcast called, “Nota Bene.”

He defended his newfound career saying, “I never said what my art was going to cost or how much it would be priced at. “I’d be amazed if my art had sold for $10, just because the first time you ever go about it is the idea someone is attracted to your art, let alone that they would pay something for it.”

Walter Shaub was having none of it: “The other prong of his history is that he’s not an angel. This is a guy who—and I’m not talking about his personal problems. I’m talking about his career choices. This is a guy who has clearly endeavored to make money off his dad being a politician rather than carving out his own path…”

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Hunter’s Career Choice Sparks Legislation

Hunter Biden’s business dealings have been speculated about since his father became a presidential candidate for the 2020 election. His murky business activities in Ukraine and China have made him millions of dollars.

Joe Biden claims he has no knowledge of any details of those transactions. 

Rep. Michael Walz (R-FL) isn’t buying that, either. He introduced the Preventing Anonymous Income by Necessitating Transparency of Executive Relatives, or PAINTER Act.

According to a press release from Waltz’s office, the bill would “require the President and Vice President of the United States to report the same financial disclosure information of their non-dependent children as currently required for their spouse and dependent children under Section 102(e) of the Ethics in Government Act.”

During his “Nota Bene” podcast appearance, Hunter responded to those who might be critical of his new venture into the art world, “F*** ’em.”

 

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