More details are emerging from the recent testimony of Hunter Biden’s art dealer, George Bergès. We previously discussed how Bergès confirmed that the accounts of buyers flocking to buy Hunter’s art was false and that most of the art was purchased by his Democratic donor patron, Kevin Morris. Not only did Bergès shatter White House claims of a carefully constructed ethical system to keep Hunter from knowing the identity of purchasers, Bergès testified that Hunter expressly demanded to know the identity.
Various experts objected to the sales as a serious ethical problem of donors using the purchases to assist President Biden and his family.
The media dutifully reported at the time how the White House was grappling with the ethical questions and, according to the Washington Post, “the White House officials have helped craft an agreement.” It was portrayed as unprecedented and unyielding.
The White House continued to swat down questions by citing an ethical plan created for the sales. Andrew Bates, a spokesperson for the White House, said in a statement that “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.”
Then White House spokesperson (and now MSNBC host) Jennifer Psaki stated:
“Well, I can tell you that after careful consideration, a system has been established that allows for Hunter Biden to work in his profession within reasonable safeguards […] But 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. 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.”
It appears that the plan was not implemented until months after these assurances were made. If true, the White House effort was the ultimate example of closing the barn door after the horse has bolted. The clear message given repeatedly to Congress and the public was that an ethical plan was in place to prevent such knowledge.
Bergès reportedly testified that he had no contacts with the White House and Hunter knew the identity of the purchasers of most of the art. Notably, Bergès was reading these same reports in the news but never objected to the alleged misrepresentation. He admitted that he read of those reports and was confused.
A staffer asked: “When you’re seeing in the press that the White House is putting in certain safeguards regarding an ethics agreement but you’ve had no conversations with [the] White House, I mean, did you ever say to Hunter Biden, ‘Hey, where’s this coming from?’”
Bergès responded: “I might have. I probably did, yeah.” He admitted that he was surprised by the coverage “[b]ecause I hadn’t had any communication with the White House about an agreement.” That, of course, was never reported. Instead, the media dutifully reported how there was this comprehensive ethical plan in place.
What was particularly notable is that, despite the false White House claims and extensive coverage, Hunter appears to have discarded any such limits. Berges testified that artists usually do not know who buys their art. So not only did Hunter not comply with the agreement with the first, this was a departure from standard operating procedure to let him know about the purchasers: “…I don’t know how it was phrased or—but I remember that there—that that was the difference…That part was different. Normally, the gallerist does not let the artist know who the collectors are…The first one was that I was required to disclose who the buyers were. In the second one, I was required to not disclose the buyers.”
The most important testimony, in my view, is still the massive purchase by Morris. This Democratic donor was introduced to Hunter at a Democratic fundraiser for the first time not long before reportedly giving him millions to pay off his taxes and support his lavish lifestyle. He then reportedly purchased most of the art as the media was reporting how hot Hunter was as a new emerging artist. The claims of walling off the identity of purchasers and the high demand for his art proved to be false.
In a letter to Fox News, Bergès insisted that the knowledge of the sales was due to “friends or by happenstance.”
For his part, Bergès says that he no longer carries Hunter’s art. He did confirm that he previously did speak with President Biden in person and on the phone during the period when he was selling his son’s art.
The media, however, now appears to be, again, largely ignoring the story and what it says about not just the ethical questions but its own prior coverage.
The most ethical and transparent administration in presidential history. I’m shocked, shocked to find, yet again that the Biden White House lied.
The Ukraine deal took place during the “scandal free ” Obama admin.
No fast and furious,
No IRS targeting conservatives.
No Unranuim one
No lies about an act of terrorism that killed a US ambassador
So on the day the leading Republican 2024 presidential candidate is in court facing new defamation charges after a jury found him guilty of sexual abuse & ordered him to pay $5 million for defaming his victim, Professor Turley is upset the media is largely ignoring a report from John Solomon, who was released by The Hill after finding numerous flaws in his reporting & for having a conservative bias. Even Fox News parted company with Solomon for his habit of pushing disinformation.
Turley clearly knows his loyal supporters here on this website won’t stand for any mention of Trump’s ongoing legal & ethical dilemmas. You’re clearly on much safer ground directing all your fire at Hunter 24/7, JT.
You attack John Solomon ? Yes, he left the Hill which he cofounded. He left over the Hill’s unhappieness over Solomon’s Reporting on Biden’s corruption in Ukraine – which has ALL proven entirely True.
You will be hard pressed to find ANY journalist who has been at the lead of so many stories. Stories that were brutally attack and have been proven correct.
If you are an outlet that has had issues with Solomon – you need to look at YOUR process, Because Solomon has been both the first and the best with numerous major stories.
Solomon was ontop of the Biden/Ukraine story long before the hunter Biden Laptop.
Solomon had damning documents from FOIA requests – he had the Biden State department Begging VP Biden to sideline his Son and to keep him out of any areas that intersected with VP Biden’s portfolio – because the conduct Stunk to high heaven.
Solomon had court documents and testimony from Ukrain and other eastern european nations regarding Biden’s corrupt conduct – LONG before others took up the story.
The Hill owes John Solomon an apology.
Fox owes John Solomon an apology.
You owe John Solomon an apology.
And while you are at it you owe an apology to Rudy Guliani – who Followed Solomon and found MORE damning evidence against the Biden’s.
John Say,
Well said.
Just The News is one of the better independent news sites. Much, much more credible than likely all the MSM sites.
Upstate, the Hill wrote an editorial as to why they were parting with John Solomon. Yet, in that column, they couldn’t find anything that John Solomon said was incorrect.
When the left bashes an investigative news reporter on the right, that is a badge of honor. It means they are reporting the truth that the left is trying to hide.
Take note that all the boozer has to offer is complaints against Turley, Solomon, Trump, etc., but not a peep about the Biden crime syndicate or any of the proven lies from the left. What is also remarkable is that, for the most part, the boozer is one of the only consistent people left defending the left. One has to ask themselves why. Yes, I know we have Dennis and Gigi, but both of them keep reporting the same stale news that was proven wrong long ago. They are nutcases.
S. Meyer,
In our leftist friends eyes, the Democrat party and the Biden admin can do no wrong. We never see them say so much as a poor word about them. The only other time I have seen such behavior is in a cult. In their brainwashed by MSM zealotry, they repeat every lie MSM tells them without so much as stopping to question what they are being told.
It would be one thing if it were just a few people here and there. But nearly half of the country has fully gone all in their cult like thinking. Take the Russian hoax. Even after everything has been debunked, they still cling on to the hoax and never question those who fed them all the lies.
Upstate, I like your comment about cultish behavior amongst the Democrats. I agree because we see Democrats veering in all sorts of directions but only as a pack, just like Bison jumping to their deaths.
On another point, all we discuss are Trump and Biden issues. We have conservatives from various states. Everyone should be talking about correctable things in their states to increase the number of valid Republican nominees for Congress in their states. The changes needed will only happen if CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS take the White House and BOTH the House and Senate with large majorities.
We need to pull away from big government and do what Ron DeSantis is doing in Florida: challenging the federal government.
“which has ALL proven entirely True.” Except all of his colmns were know to be 100% lies at the time the Hill was publishing them. None of Solomon’s non reporting pure fiction has turned out to be true.
I guess your favorite Constitutional Attorney is Lawrence Tribe the paid hack for both CNN and MSNBC.
No a jury did not find “guilt” – The jury found that Trump defamed E Jean Carroll Not the, and they did NOT beleive much of what she claimed.
Legally the Jury found such that Trump has a defamation claim against Carroll
We’d all know a lot more if they simply released the transcript of Berges’ testimony.
Comer an;t afford to be caught once again lying about the content of someone’s deposition.
Steaming turd^^^**
Breaking my no Hunter Biden comment rule (which I do twice a year) to point out that this leak of testimony plays into Biden’s complaint about why he does not want to be deposed behind closed doors. Why do the stupid Republicans keep shooting themselves in the foot with such leaks (and through a rag like Just the News)
So Hunter does not want to have a clue what House Republicans are going to ask ?
Grow up and get over your self.
Closed door testimony is NOT secret – frankly very little the house does should ever be secret.
Transcripts will be released as soon as they are completed – except when Democrats run the house.
The purpose of closed door testimony is to get passed EVERYONE – democrats, republicans and witnesses from posturing for the cameras.
But they will all get the chance to do that later.
Regardless, Witnesses – not to the house, not elsewhere have control over the logistics of their testimony.
Despite Turley’s sage and correct advice, Republicans appear to be going forward with the new subpeona that Hunter requested.
While Turley is correctly concerned that house should not negotiate over a subpeona – that sets a bad precident.
There are also political concerns here. Hunter is doing everything in his power to make himself look bad.
Might as well give him more rope to hang himself with.
Unlike the Biden admin’s efforts to prosecute Trump – Time is the ally of House Republicans.
The best outcome for Republicans is a mortally wounded Biden on the ballot in 2024.
It is in the interests of the House to drip drip drip more and more evidence of Biden cartel corruption.
As Turley has stated elsewhere – this is all pretty much a Farce – Hunter is NOT going to testify.
This is all just a game to delay taking the 5th.
If Hunter wants to delay – that serves Hunter, That serves Republicans. That does not serve Joe.
“Transcripts will be released as soon as they are completed – except when Democrats run the house.” So far, that has never happened. Comer does release them eventually, but not til months after they are completed. And the transcripts always prove that in the interval, Comer has been spreading nothing but lies.
There are still Trump impeachment and J6 transcripts we have never seen.
Democrats have even thwarted the release of transcripts of Public testimony.
And we now have lots of J6 records “lost”.
Please provide ANY instance in which what was reported by Comer was later disproven by transcripts ?
John Say
I never suggested a deposition be kept secret. How could you read that from what I wrote. I said they should not be leaked (especially to some rag no one in the real world has ever heard of)
You then followed that with 6-7 graphs about things I never mentioned so I suggest you repost your ramble if you did not mean that to be a reply to me
I live in the real world.
I have been reading Just The News since it’s inception.
Just The News, The Free Press, Glenn Greenwald, Matt Taibbi to name a few are the reasons why I am better informed than nearly half of Americans.
Here lawn boy outs himself as dennis byron
John Say: You just gave away the game! You say “Time is the ally of House Republicans. The best outcome for Republicans is a mortally wounded Biden on the ballot in 2024”. Comer admits he has no evidence to impeach Joe Biden. As you say it’s about “drip drip drip”–a campaign of selective leaks from witness testimony, innuendo and insinuation in a futile attempt to tank Biden’s chances of re-election. That’s what this is all about!
The fact is Hunter WILL testify in a closed door deposition and maybe in an open Committee hearing. And he will not take the 5th because he has nothing to hide.
“The fact is Hunter WILL testify in a closed door deposition and maybe in an open Committee hearing. And he will not take the 5th because he has nothing to hide.”
Saved this one for later replay. Another of Denny’s delusional prognostications.
“The fact is Hunter WILL testify in a closed door deposition and maybe in an open Committee hearing. And he will not take the 5th because he has nothing to hide.”
Dennis, you sound as if you have all the facts and know for sure Hunter will plead the fifth before the committee. When will he come before the committee?
If you are wrong, will you leave the blog? At what time?
I’ve got $50 that says Joe called that little girl from a burner phone, and not the white house.
MSNBC’s pollster/analyzer Steve Kornacki (you know, the one in the khaki pants) and others have spent a great deal of time advising viewers of their mapped-out graphs’ conclusions that Trump’s rise in the polls-(decreasing the gap between him and Biden–and in some states, leading Biden) –is correlative with his gaining sympathy (from those dastardly white evangelicals, inter alia) for his legal/criminal woes.
Conversely, I believe he is rising in the polls because voters are FINALLY becoming aware of MEDIA’s manipulative hoodwinking of Americans– and the outright, blatant lack of coverage of anything which would reveal the true complicitous nature and chicanery of the Biden family. I don’t need to rely on an “Anonymous” moniker. I am proud to declare that I am disgusted with MSM.
Lin,
Well said.
Just watched a clip of Rachel Maddow trying to justify why they will not air Trump’s victory speech live.
It was a sad and pathetic attempt to cover up that they are biased and not actual journalists.
I am happy to watch the MSM engage in self harm.
One of the many reasons that Free speech is important is that it provides the opportunity for those like Maddow to shoot themselves in the foot.
Free speech requires us to LET THEM
Now, now, now…… Uncle Merrick Garland will quietly sort out this unfortunate “misunderstanding”. There was no intent folks. There never is for Bidens and Clintons, right Jonathan ???
Yeah…….leave it to Merrick to sort it out. Question: How does Morris just “give” Hunter millions to pay off his taxes ? I thought there was an annual limit to gifting. And the requirement to fill out IRS Form 709 ? And the requirement to pay taxes on the amount over the meager annual tax free amount ?
There is no limit to gifts. But there limits that effect taxes.
Was all this done following the rules ? More drip drip drip to enquire into.
You can blame Joe and Hunter. The real blame is with the MSM. This grift should have been shut down decades ago and Joe thrown out of the Senate decades ago. If DJT and his kids did 1% of what these grifters did he would be in Leavenworth. You might remember the 100,000 stroy by MSM of ill gotten deeds by Trump was getting foreign money during Presidency. They even reported HOA’s fees in Trump buildings for decades. Long before President. Of course any gains had taxes paid on it during Presidency and profits sent to the treasury. Unlike the 3 grifters Joey Plugs HB and Jimmy 2 chin. All of it possible by MSM who are sweating bullits right now. Kind of what happens when you steal an election. Just ask the millions of folks of Ukraine
The Professor states…..”For his part, Bergès says that he no longer carries Hunter’s art. He did confirm that he previously did speak with President Biden in person and on the phone during the period when he was selling his son’s art.”
Huh?
The Art Dealer had direct personal contact with Joe Biden…..did I read that right?
The former Criminal Investigator in me is standing straight up out of my chair upon reading that.
The White House Firewall comments then the Art Dealer stated that under Oath and Comer et al are not like Hounds braying in their chase of the Fox on that?
Was that a typo and it should have been “Hunter” inlace of “President” …..Biden?
Even if it was Hunter instead of Joe….there is a wonderful investigative lead that I would have followed to its logical end.
Of course this is the case. Who ever thought otherwise?
I don’t know why anyone is surprised. We have known for years that almost any time a politician writes a book and has a substantial following that their supporters, especially their billionaire and millionaire friends, will troop down to the bookstore and buy massive numbers of books. It’s called wealth transfer. Instead of just writing a check to the politician you write a check to the politician and get a 20-30$ book instead, must of which sit in a library for a short period of time then go to a storehouse somewhere and I would suspect all them eventually end up being used as firestarters in fireplaces. I have read some of those books and they are generally awful.
They never dreamed Comer would subpoena the art dealer. This alone shows not only their avarice but their soft IQ’s as well. Oh, and their utter disdain for the American people. Joe parading naked in front of female secret service agents, parading his drug addict law breaking son all over washington and around the world, jill parading a sundowner off the stages, lowell parading hunters sugar daddy into the peoples house in defiance of a subpoena.
Utter disdain, and the libtards dont even realize, they’re being scorned as well. They think its just republicans who the bidens despise, and they’re along for the ride. Like the kid that thinks he’s in the cool clique, when he’s just the token whipping boy.
I believe thats called a useful idiot. Wr have no leas than 6 of them here.
Off topic a little, but if someone pays over $1mil for your taxes, is that taxable income?
Yes, you owe taxes, because gifts are taxable income.
If your last name is Biden, you scratch the word ‘loan’ in the memo, attach a sticky note saying loan, and the IRS will take your word for it
@iowan,
But they didn’t.
They got overruled by someone in the DoJ because their name was Biden and they all owed favors or worked for someone who owed favors to Joe.
42yrs in the Senate and you can bet your bottom dollar that people owe him.
-G
yes
Well now.
There you have it.
Connect the dots and you have pretty much outlined a ‘pay to play’ bribery scheme.
Make no mistake… there is evidence now of Joe Biden taking bribe thru Hunter.
Which also ties back to his time as VP. While Joe can’t be impeached now for those crimes, you’ve established a pattern. (And you potentially have a conspiracy which would tie them in…)
Of course the Biden sycophants would say…
“But Joe was just being a good dad, keeping an eye on his son to make sure he has gainful employment and ystaying out of drugs. So what if he did a couple of favors for his kid? What good father wouldn’t?”
Now lets circle back to the coke found at the WH?
I’d say it was the lawyer buddy of Hunter.
-G
They lie about everything.
This episode, along with Hunter’s open defiance of the House subpoena illustrate Hunter’s and Joe’s contempt for the law. Hunter knows he can do anything he wants because Daddy will ultimately hand him a get-out-of-jail card, and Joe has gotten away with open corruption his entire career. And, of course, they can always rely on the left-wing media to help them hide the truth.
About that…
In this depo, they get to ask questions. Present facts to Hunter. He pleads the fifth.
In short he can’t deny what they present, only plead the 5th.
Not looking good for Hunter and Joe.
Agreed, and every followup question should be asked as though he had answered the previous question in the most incriminating way.
Who did you and Z call from Dubai?
I plead the 5th
Whrn you called your dad from dubai, did he answer?
I plead the 5th
And when your dad answered, what did you say to him?
I plead the 5th
And when you asked for help with pressure on zlochevsky, what did he say?
I plead the 5th
And when he said he would get the prosecutor fired, who was the prosecutor at the time?
And on and on.
This can get messy. The Impeachment committee can offer immunity in return for testimony – in which case Hunter MUST testify.
I would note this is also why the Hunter Plea deal was likely always doomed.
If as Hunter Claimed – the plea deal covered Everything. Then Hunter could NOT take the 5th on anything covered by the deal.
Compelling his testimony by immunity requires a 2/3 vote of the committee. Dont see that happening.
I think it’s becoming clear that Morris was a key figure in the Biden money laundering scheme and Hunter used him for this purpose. Needing to launder millions from China and elsewhere, Hunter provided Morris with cash under the guise of legal fees and Morris provided cleaning services for the money by buying Hunter’s overpriced paintings. If congressional investigators can establish this link between Hunter and Morris, the game is over. This should be sufficient grounds to get complete list of buyers of Hunter’s art, including any links between the person who bought a painting and wound up with a prestigious presidential appointment. Turley likes movies so the next blockbuster at the Bijou may be “The Cleaning Man!”
I am fully prepared to impeach Biden right now.
That said the Art Dealer’s testimony exposes the rampant lies of the Biden’s.
It does not expose further criminality.
That is assuming that the taxes were properly paid on these transfers.
The legal problem with the Morris Hunter exchanges is that it is increasingly looking like Hunter’s art has no market value.
That means Morris’s payments to Hunter are gifts rather than payments for art.
The more important problem is that KJP and the Whitehouse LIED about this.
And they have been caught.
This is astonishing on many levels:
1. Many in the administration lied when they said a system had been established to ensure the anonymity of the buyers. Not only did they lie, but they highlighted the system as an example of ethics in government.
2. Though the article is somewhat unclear on this, it appears that customary practice in this business is for artists not to be told who bought their art. Yet here, Biden was informed. So not only was no system implemented to maintain anonymity but custom and practice were disregarded to ensure the opposite.
3. The media accepted the administration’s lies and never demanded evidence of the contracts and other documentation putting into place the non-existent system ensuring the buyers’ anonymity.
4. Morris bought most of the art. He also paid Biden’s taxes and is otherwise bankrolling him. What is he getting in return?
The story did not even mention that one of the few other buyers got a plum appointment.
This family’s corruption has no limits.
Daniel,
Well said.
Their audacity matches their corruption.
John Say,
I have to disagree with you on impeachment.
I DO want the impeachment inquiry, which we all know is well justified.
Then I want to see all the dots laid out and all the connections and corruption for all to see.
Then let that hand on Biden through November.
I am not sure what we are disagreeing about.
I do NOT want an impeachment NOW.
Though there is already more than enough evidence to vote and impeach tomorow.
Regardless the Senate is not convicting Biden – probably, with politics nothing is certain, and Biden is increasingly an albatross.
I expect a Mayorkas impeachment to proceed relatively quickly and the Senate to have to deal with that soon.
I expect a Garland inquiry too.
Whether an impeachment inquiry leads to impeachment at this point is stratagey.
Does an impeachment trial in the senate that is a foregone conclusion help Republicans strategically – if it does, then it will occur.
If not – there the House will investigate – drip, drip, drip
Regardless, the real goal is november, And it is NOT just about Trump/Biden, it is about the house and the senate.
This is one of the reasons for impeaching Mayorkas. Polls are showing that border issues are resonating EVERYWHERE – including with democrats.
Regardless, the clock is the House Republicans friend. It is the Trump prosecutions enemy.
JJC,
Great comment.
The Biden family has run an influencing peddling scheme for almost half century , and this has been well known in DC for that entire time. It has also been know over that same time period that Joe Biden was an intellectually challenged serial liar. No one, literally no one in the democrat party or its propaganda arm in corporate media thought he should, or could, be elected president, until they realized that Bernie Sanders might become president. Now, those same people recognize that Joe abide had neither the physical or mental ability to be president, but they’ve locked themselves into a corner and must hold their respective noses.
what does kevin morris want?
Like everyone else, MONEY
Which is why he is giving away money for art of no value ?
Consider that someone overpaying for the art (and not really ever paying, except for the commission), artificially enhances the value of the remaining and future art. That is fraud.
Sorry, that is NOT fraud.
You would have to have a completed Pump and Dump to get Fraud.
This is all very sketchy and a subject for legitimate inquiry.
It stinks and it exposes more damaging Biden lies.
But there is no clear crime in the art dealings.
There IS reason for further inquiry – were the correct taxes paid ?
Was there a quid pro quo for a political appiontment ?
The DEMS, Biden, DOJ, THE PRESS, Biden Admin. Nothing to see here?