Hunter Biden sold $1.3M in art — and one buyer was a Dem donor ‘friend’ Joe appointed to a prestigious commission

Politics

By Steven Nelson

WASHINGTON — First son Hunter Biden’s novice artwork has raked in at least $1.3 million — with buyers including a Democratic donor “friend’’ whom his dad named to a prestigious commission, a report said Monday.

Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali, a Los Angeles real estate investor and philanthropist, bought one of Hunter’s works, according to Business Insider, which cited sales records kept by his art dealer, the Georges Bergès Gallery of Manhattan.

Naftali was appointed by President Biden to the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad in July 2022 — about eight months after Hunter’s first art show, which took place in Hollywood.

It is unclear when Naftali bought her Hunter artwork or how much she paid for it.

A Biden administration official told the publication that Naftali was recommended for her preservation board post by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and that she didn’t buy the position through the art deal.

Meanwhile, Business Insider said the largest chunk of Hunter’s art sales so far has gone to a single deep-pocketed mystery buyer — who scooped up 11 artworks for a total of $875,000.

The outlet reported that one of Hunter’s art buyers is his “sugar brother” Kevin Morris, a wealthy lawyer who reportedly lent him about $2 million to pay off back taxes.

It wasn’t known whether Morris was the top buyer. Insider’s report was the most detailed to date on the first son’s art sales. 

Bergès has refused to cooperate with House Oversight Committee requests for the names of art buyers.

The Post previously reported that Hunter sold five prints for $75,000 each at his Hollywood art show totaling $375,000.

The showing drew ethics concerns over the fact that President Biden’s embattled nominee for US ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, attended the show. 

Garcetti ultimately was confirmed by the Senate in March after the White House stood by him for almost two years, including during criticism from fellow Democrats about his handling of sexual harassment claims against an aide while he was Los Angeles mayor.

House Republicans are investigating Hunter Biden’s prior business dealings with international business associates from countries such as China and Ukraine, where his father held sway as vice president, and have expressed concern about Hunter’s art career being a possible new avenue for influence-peddling and money laundering.

There is evidence that Joe Biden met with Hunter’s associates from China, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine during his vice presidency and in the years before he entered the White House.

The White House said in 2021 that Hunter Biden’s art sales would be “anonymous” — in theory to prevent corruption.

Then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at the time, “We still do not know and will not know who purchases any paintings.”

Ethics experts scoffed at the purported anonymity of Hunter’s art buyers.

Richard Painter, who was President George W. Bush’s chief ethics lawyer, said, “Buyers buy artwork to hang on the wall, not put in a closet,” making anonymity essentially impossible to maintain.

The White House and Hunter Biden’s legal team did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Post on Monday.