(RepublicanPress.org) – A massive scandal erupted in July 2021 after reports stated that White House lawyers helped draft an agreement between Hunter Biden and a New York art gallery intended to conceal the identity of purchasers of the president’s son’s paintings. Former President Barack Obama’s ethics head, Walter Shaub, posted a series of since-deleted tweets warning that the agreement would prevent meaningful oversight if questions about the sales arose in the future. Now, a new report appears to be shining some light on the younger Biden’s art sales.
On July 24, distinguished journalist and Pulitzer Center grantee Mattathias Schwartz published an exposé providing details on some of the sales of Hunter Biden’s painting, including a few purchaser’s names.
Hunter Biden sold $1.3M in art —and buyers include dad’s Democratic donor ‘friend,’ appointee: report https://t.co/LOwb5if21h pic.twitter.com/Tv843jFLuV
— New York Post (@nypost) July 26, 2023
For instance, Schwartz reported that three individuals with knowledge of Biden’s account of his art career claimed that the first son knew that influential California Democrat Elizabeth Naftali had purchased some of his artwork. The Los Angeles philanthropist and real estate investor reportedly donated nearly $30,000 to the Democratic National Committee and over $13,000 to the Biden campaign earlier this year.
Schwartz reminded readers that President Joe Biden appointed Schartz to serve on the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad in July 2022, roughly eight months after she purchased some of Hunter Biden’s artwork from the New York gallery.
Schwartz also reported on the identity of one other purchaser of Biden’s art — Kevin Morris, an influential California lawyer. The New York Times previously broke the story, reporting that a person close to the attorney reportedly suggested the painting might have been a gift. However, Schartz learned through a Biden confidant that Morris purchased the artwork. Morris has a history of providing financial backing to Biden, reportedly lending him as much as $2 million to help him pay his delinquent taxes and avoid penalties under a recent agreement with the Justice Department.
Additionally, Schwartz obtained documents from the New York gallery showing that a single purchase bought 11 of Hunter Biden’s paintings for $875,000. Those papers showed the sale of his artwork totaled about $1.3 million.
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