Hunter Biden's Art Dealer Refuses To Hand Over Names To House Committee In First Family's Business Dealings Probe
Feb. 7 2023, Published 6:45 p.m. ET
The Manhattan art dealer who worked for Hunter Biden refused to comply with a US House Committee request for information on the identities of buyers who engaged in business transactions with the president's son. The refusal came ahead of the select committee's hearings on Wednesday as part of a probe into the Biden family's business dealings, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Outspoken Biden critics have long pushed for an investigation into President Joe Biden's son, as well as domestic and international business deals connected to the first family following several scandals with Hunter at the center.
On Monday, the attorney for art dealer Georges Berges responded to the committee's request in a letter to James Comer, the Republican representative from Kentucky who chaired the Oversight and Accountability Committee.
In the letter, William Pittard, the art dealer's attorney, detailed his "concerns" over the committee's request to see which individuals purchased Hunter's artwork through his client.
Pittard alleged that the request directly contradicted White House rules that were formed to oversee the sale of Hunter's art.
"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," Pittard wrote in the response, according to the New York Post.
The attorney referred to a specific set of rules former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced in July 2021.
Berges' attorney pointed to Psaki's statement on buyer confidentiality that was part of overall "safeguards" put in place for the sale of Hunter's pieces.
Pittard's letter even included Psaki's 2021 explanation that stated, "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."
The protection of buyer identities was made to prevent special favors or privileges from being dolled out by the Biden administration, which ironically aligned with the probe's investigation into Hunter for allegedly using his family name for financial and legal gain.
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The attorney's letter appeared to dismiss his client's involvement with allegations against Hunter and signed off with "hopes that you and Mr. Biden can resolve that tension."
With a refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena, Berges faced up to a $1,000 fine and a year in prison.
The committee probe was not the first time a president and his family members' business transactions were subjected to a congressional investigation.
In fact, Pittard also pointed to a ruling used in three congressional committee probs into ex-president Donald Trump and his children, who were accused of receiving personal financial gains while their father was in office.
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Pittard used a 2020 Supreme Court decision that prohibited "documents revealing ‘transactions by the president and his family" from being unveiled to multiple Oversight and Accountability committees.
The ruling was regarding a New York grand jury's request for financial information on the Trump family's business. The SCOTUS decision ruled that the request was "too broad in scope;" however, it allowed for the former president's past tax returns and financial records to be subpoenaed.
