President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden plans to mingle with prospective buyers of his art during two shows this year, according to the gallery facilitating the sales and the White House.
The arrangement will see the younger Biden at shows held by the Georges Berges Gallery in Los Angeles and New York.
“He’s not going to have any conversations related to the selling of art. That will be left to the gallerist,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters in Washington on Thursday.
“So he’s not going to discuss anything related to the selling of art and I would reiterate that the gallerist will be the only person who handles transactions or conversations in that vein and will reject any offer that is out of the ordinary,” she added.
Robin Davis, a spokeswoman with the gallery, earlier told CBS News that Hunter Biden would be at the shows.
“He’s looking forward to it. It is like someone debuting in the world. And of course he will be there,” Davis said.
Prospective buyers “will be vetted,” Davis said, “so whomever is appropriate will be attending.”
A man who picked up the phone at the gallery, asked whether Hunter Biden would be attending the shows, told The Epoch Times, “I have no idea.”
He directed the submission of questions via email. The gallery has not responded to emails.
Walter Shaub, the director of the Office of Government Ethics during the Obama administration, panned the arrangement.
“Hunter Biden will meet with prospective buyers of his absurdly overpriced, presidency-profiting art. Good grief. The president has such a blind spot on this issue. I really hope he and his son come to their senses,” Shaub said on social media.
But Psaki said the arrangement guiding the art sales, which the White House helped craft, will ensure that neither administration officials nor the artist will know who the buyers are.
“There’s no scenario where [buyers] could provide influence,” she said.
Christopher Clark, Hunter Biden’s attorney, did not return a query.
Psaki told reporters earlier this month that “careful consideration” went into establishing a system “that allows for Hunter Biden to work in his profession within reasonable safeguards.”
“All interactions regarding the selling of art and the setting of prices will be handled by a professional gallerist, adhering to the highest industry standards,” she added. “And any offer out of the normal course would be rejected out of hand. And the gallerist will not share information about buyers or prospective buyers, including their identities, with Hunter Biden or the administration, which provides quite a level of protection and transparency.”
Georges Berges, who owns the gallery, has said Hunter Biden’s pieces could sell for as much as $500,000.
