Here is the good news for fans of ethical presidencies: The White House has come up with a plan to let Hunter Biden sell his art without him — or anyone in the Biden administration — finding out who bought the stuff. The idea is to discourage potential purchasers who might actually be more interested in buying favor with President Biden than in embracing the creative visions of his son.
On the other hand, Hunter Biden's artwork is reportedly going to be listed for between $75,000 and $500,000.
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To its credit, the Biden administration has recognized that this is a problem, thus the new rules. That's clearly more ethical than the Trump administration, which embraced the presidency as a business opportunity both for the old man and his kids. But that's not really the standard, is it?
Adult children of presidents have the right to earn a living, of course, and it's probably impossible to do so wholly apart from their parent's fame and power. But Hunter Biden is already under scrutiny: The Department of Justice is investigating his finances, and Republicans remain eager to use his problems to tear down his father. The apparently inflated prices for his paintings will make another juicy target.
Real art lovers, meanwhile, should bide their time — you can probably get a discount on Hunter's paintings after his dad leaves office.
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