In two weeks the “system [that] has been established” to assure that the sale of Hunter Biden’s so-called “artwork” would be free of even the hint of influence-peddling has completely fallen apart.
It’s now at “10” on the “Smell-O-Meter” scale, which is equivalent to leaving week-old gas station sushi on the front seat of the car on a hot summer day smelly.
The only way to make sure everything remains aboveboard would be to publish the details of all art sales, listing the buyer’s name and the amount paid. But they had a “better” idea.
Their scheme was to have a gallery owner with a somewhat shady past keep the buyers’ identities secret from both Hunter Biden and the Biden administration, “which provides quite a level of protection and transparency,'' White House press secretary Jen Psaki claimed at a July 8 briefing.
She added, ’'I think it would be challenging for an anonymous person, who we don't know, and Hunter Biden doesn't know, to have influence.”
That’s all changed now. CBS News reported Thursday that “Hunter Biden [is] expected to meet with potential art buyers before [the] anonymous sales.”
The network explained that the meetings “will give Biden an opportunity to interact with potential buyers of his paintings, which the gallery expects to sell for as much as $500,000.”
Well, if he meets with the potential buyers, the sales are suddenly not so “anonymous” anymore, are they?
The Georges Berges Gallery, which has the exclusive right to sell Hunter’s creations, has initially planned two exhibits of his “artwork”: one in Los Angeles, and a second, larger one scheduled for New York City.
When asked whether Hunter will attend both events, gallery spokeswoman Robin Davis said, "Oh yes. With pleasure. He's looking forward to it. It is like someone debuting in the world. And of course he will be there.”
Nonetheless, Psaki insisted at Thursday’s daily briefing that nothing about the previous agreement had changed, because "[Biden]'s not going to have any conversations related to the selling of art.”
Really? And how does she know what will be discussed between the “artist” and the buyers?
More importantly, how will the public know what’s discussed between, say, a senior Chinese Communist Party official and a former drug addict, who may have previously lied on a federal form in order to purchase a firearm, and held a dubious position on the board of a Ukrainian gas company?
Even the normally Biden-friendly CBS News had doubts about this arrangement.
“There is no known enforcement mechanism or disclosure requirement embedded in the ethics deal,” the network said. “Conversations with potential buyers at the showings would almost certainly stay private.”
Walter Shaub, former head of the Office of Government Ethics during the Obama administration, also raised questions.
"Is Hunter Biden going to walk around the art show with a blindfold on?" asked Shaub. "It's just showing the child of a president can cash in on the presidency."
Reporters also asked White House spokesman Andrew Bates about this new arrangement. He referred them to a July 8 White House statement:
"The president has established the highest ethical standards of any administration in American history, and his family's commitment to rigorous processes like this is a prime example."
Abigail Marone, press secretary for Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., gave a two-word response that Democrats often use to distinguish President Biden’s administration from that of his predecessor, former President Trump:
“How refreshing.” Heh.
And we can expect President Biden will take his normal 10% cut right off the top. After all, he’s “the big guy.”
During his CNN town hall Wednesday night, the president claimed that the U.S. crime rate was actually declining. Not only is that a bald-faced lie, but now that the Biden Crime Family is back in business, it’s gonna escalate even more.
“How refreshing.”
Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to BizPac Review and Liberty Unyielding. He is also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and an enthusiastic Second Amendment supporter, who can often be found honing his skills at the range. Read Dorstewitz's Reports — More Here.
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