Hunter Biden rubbing shoulders with celebrities and wealthy art patrons at a pop-up exhibition of his artwork in Los Angeles, according to new photos and video - raising ethical concerns about whether buyers will pay inflated prices for his fledgling attempts at professional painting in order to curry influence with his powerful father.
In a photo shared online by the Daily Mail, President Joe Biden's son smiled brightly as he banged hands with boxing star Sugar Ray Leonard, who wrapped his other arm around Hunter Biden's shoulders.
Hunter Biden debuts art show amid investigation
The scandal-plagued Biden scion has previously been accused of influence peddling, most recently in a Senate Republican report last year that stated that his job with the Ukrainian energy company Burisma "negatively impacted the efforts of dedicated career service individuals who were fighting to push for anticorruption measures in Ukraine."
Hunter Biden introduced his father to a Burisma Executive less than a year before Joe Biden, then vice president, pressed Ukrainian officials to fire a prosecutor investigating the firm, according to the NY Post.
Hunter Biden interacted with the audience of approximately 200 people at Friday's event, wearing a dark blue Western-style denim shirt and slim black trousers, according to the photographs.
His wife, Melissa, and two of his children, Naomi Biden, 27, and Maisy Biden, 20, were present for the occasion. It took place at Hollywood's Milk Studios, which is known for hosting photo and video shoots.
Sushi canapés and regular and rosé champagne were offered to guests during the event. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination vidence of cvaccination was required for admission, although just a few people wore masks for the indoor event.
A significant security presence was present in the studio, and a violinist performed for the audience later in the evening. It's unknown if any of the paintings were sold at the exhibit.
Art critics believe that pieces by an unskilled and beginning artist like Hunter Biden would not normally attract such high prices and that his surname is inflating them substantially.
Two former White House ethics officers have expressed worries that purchasers could try to win favor with the president by paying outrageous prices for his son's art.
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White House dodges concerns about Hunter Biden's art exhibit
Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, dodged questions about one of President Joe Biden's top diplomatic candidates visiting Hunter Biden's art display in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The star-studded crowd included Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, a Democrat who has been nominated to be Biden's ambassador to India, creating major ethical concerns for the White House.
Hunter Biden's paintings, which are selling for as much as $500,000, have sparked fears that buyers may try to sway the White House.
Psaki has emphasized that an agreement with the gallery owners who are displaying Hunter Biden's art requires that all purchases remain secret, with neither the White House nor Hunter Biden knowing their identities.
She further stated that Hunter Biden would not discuss the sale of his artwork. However, the ambiguous arrangement has sparked concerns about transparency and if the Biden administration is rescinding on some of its ethics commitments, as per The Washington Times.
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