White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during Friday’s press conference that keeping the identities of those who purchase Hunter Biden’s artwork a secret provides “quite a level of protection and transparency.”
Psaki was asked the question by CBS News reporter Weijia Jiang in response to a report from The Washington Post on Thursday that said that the Biden administration helped craft a deal where the owner of a New York art gallery will sell Hunter Biden’s artwork and that the identities of those who are purchasing the artwork will be kept secret. The move by the administration was slammed by former President Barack Obama’s top ethics official.
When asked if the White House played any role in crafting the deal, Psaki did not dispute the claim, responding: “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.”
“Of course, he has the right to pursue an artistic career, just like any child of a president has the right to pursue a career,” she said. “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 galleries 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.”
WATCH:
Great questions from @CBSNews's @Weijia Jiang to Jen Psaki about whether the White House had "any role in crafting the sales agreement with the NY Gallery" to hide the identity of people who purchase Hunter Biden's art.
Psaki confirms it out of a need for "reasonable safeguards" pic.twitter.com/rrgIgTQfzp
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) July 9, 2021
TRANSCRIPT:
WEIJIA JIANG, CBS NEWS REPORTER: I have a question on Hunter Biden’s art work. Did the White House play any role in crafting the sales agreement with the New York gallery to protect the purchaser’s or the ultimate purchaser’s identity?
JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: 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. Of course, he has the right to pursue an artistic career, just like any child of a president has the right to pursue a career. 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 galleries 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.
JIANG: The gallery owner is a private citizen who might be privy to who might have some interests in purchasing this artwork. Is the White House doing anything to work with the owner to make sure there’s not impropriety there when it is ultimately sold?
PSAKI: Well, I think it would be challenging for an anonymous person who we don’t know and Hunter Biden doesn’t know to have influence. So that’s a protection.