Been Reading

[Kathianne]

Saw this reminder: 'the laptop stories that "leak" are not about Hunter, but Joe.'

They were suppressed to protect him for election, now some drips to remind they are out there to use when they are needed.

Nearly 60% of people do not believe he is running things. Kind of makes one wonder about the 40%.

When "they" want him gone, he will be.

[jimnyc]

Saw this reminder: 'the laptop stories that "leak" are not about Hunter, but Joe.'

They were suppressed to protect him for election, now some drips to remind they are out there to use when they are needed.

Nearly 60% of people do not believe he is running things. Kind of makes one wonder about the 40%.

When "they" want him gone, he will be.

Even a shitload of democrats in that poll felt similarly. So either they voted for him anyway under those circumstances - or that has changed in 6 months. :rolleyes:

Whether Hunter or him it should have been investigated thoroughly since we're talking the president of the United States and whether or not he or his family is compromised in some manner. I have zero doubt that the both of them profited during these relationships. And here they are investigating and prosecuting Trump's company and taxes. But don't want to touch someone possibly in bed with China, and up to 6 more countries.

[Kathianne]

Even a shitload of democrats in that poll felt similarly. So either they voted for him anyway under those circumstances - or that has changed in 6 months. :rolleyes:

Whether Hunter or him it should have been investigated thoroughly since we're talking the president of the United States and whether or not he or his family is compromised in some manner. I have zero doubt that the both of them profited during these relationships. And here they are investigating and prosecuting Trump's company and taxes. But don't want to touch someone possibly in bed with China, and up to 6 more countries.
If I remember correctly, many here and elsewhere figured Joe might kick off or have to be removed for competency, especiallywhen it was apparent since primaries. It now appears while both are still possibilities, the insurance policy is the laptop contents and impeachment. Removing a president for mental defect isn't as easy as it appears. For crimes in and out of office? Yeah, easier.

[Kathianne]

Suddenly the press is getting a bit more aggressive with Biden, Jen, and even State and DOD.

[Kathianne]

ABC addressing WH and Hunter's art sales:

https://hotair.com/2021/07/09/white-house-officials-arrange-confidential-sales-of-hunter-bidens-art-n401374

[jimnyc]

ABC addressing WH and Hunter's art sales:

https://hotair.com/2021/07/09/white-house-officials-arrange-confidential-sales-of-hunter-bidens-art-n401374

Very odd - that article won't load for me and I tried all kinds of tricks to retrieve it but no dice. Can't find it anywhere thus far on their site either.

But I did find a copy elsewhere, same title and all. So they grabbed it before it was gone? Then again says ABC news. Is this the same one Kathianne ?

White House officials arrange confidential sales of Hunter Biden’s art

(NEW YORK) — A New York gallery owner will facilitate sales of Hunter Biden’s original artwork, an arrangement meant to diffuse concerns over buyers paying top dollar to win influence with the president’s son, according to a source familiar with the situation.

The gallerist, Georges Berges, will independently set prices on the artwork of President Joe Biden’s son and keep the identities of buyers confidential, including from the president and administration officials. Berges will be the sole person authorized to collect, reject and agree on offers. Berges has agreed to reject any offer that seems unusual, including offers above asking price.

White House officials were involved in creating the arrangement, according to the source, as a way to avoid any suggestion of preferential treatment or conflict of interest.

According to the Washington Post, which first reported the story, Berges has said Hunter Biden’s artwork could be priced anywhere from $75,000 to $500,000.

But ethics experts are raising concerns about the agreement.

“This arrangement is problematic. The best disinfectant, in this case, would have been to have a publicly open process. The public could see who the purchasers are, and then it would be incumbent upon the Bidens to bear the burden of saying why it isn’t a conflict,” said Meredith McGehee, executive director of Issue One, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing the influence of money in politics.

“The White House went the absolute opposite way they should have gone. The only people, in the end, who won’t know who the buyers are is the public. By going the shadow direction, this raises more questions than answers,” she said.

In a statement to ABC News, White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said “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.”

But Richard Painter, who was President George W. Bush’s top ethics lawyer, told ABC News he would have counseled against a secrecy deal for the president’s son during his time in the White House.

“The best solution would be to paint now, sell later, after his father is out of office,” Painter said.

“The problem is they chose the secrecy route and that just never works. I don’t want to say it’s like Trump’s tax returns, because he’s not the president. But whenever you don’t disclose something, whenever there’s secrecy people will assume the worst,” he added.

Still, Painter acknowledged Hunter Biden is not a government employee and has the right to do what he wishes with his art.

Hunter Biden has long used art as a way to cope with addiction and life tragedies, including the death of his brother Beau in 2015.

Biden said in a New York Times interview that painting “put my energy towards something positive.”

“It keeps me away from people and places where I shouldn’t be,” he said in the interview.

Don Fox, former general counsel of the Office of Government Ethics under the Obama administration, noted that career opportunities for children of any president are always subject to intense scrutiny.

“With visual art, the name of the artist is a huge factor in a piece’s value. The screening mechanism that has been put in place for the sale of Hunter Biden’s art may not be perfect, but it’s the best that could be done where the value of the product is so highlight subjective. Hunter Biden is entitled to earn a living,” Fox told ABC News.

Chris Clark, attorney for Hunter Biden, did not respond to a request for comment. A representative at Berges’s gallery declined to comment on the record.

https://1430wcmy.com/2021/07/09/white-house-officials-arrange-confidential-sales-of-hunter-bidens-art/

[Kathianne]

That's it. jimnyc

[jimnyc]

As if Obama needed an "ethics" chief. :rolleyes:

This information about Hunter/Joe is coming from him though, Obama's former ethics chief, and has this to say below about Hunter and his art. UnEffingReal.

So I guess Hunter will sell a piece of his art for a shit ton of money & WHO is paying for it? And WHO exactly might it be funneled to?

https://i.imgur.com/WmqNWeR.png

^^ $500,000 right there, and likely a portion of the Wuhan investigation done already. :rolleyes:

I remember in grammar school, making some crappy finger art & also at times using a dipped sponge to press on the paper.

https://i.imgur.com/mu1r2Tg.jpg

Not horrible actually and much better than I could ever do. But hundreds of thousands of dollars worth type of art? Or worthy of hiding identities and prices and making it so easy to avoid taxes & destinations. :rolleyes:

---

Obama Ethics Chief Warns On Hunter Biden Art Secrecy: ‘Perfect Mechanism For Funneling Bribes’ To President

Walter Shaub, the former director of Obama’s Office of Government Ethics, warned during a CNN interview on Friday that the process surrounding how Hunter Biden’s artwork will be sold creates the “perfect mechanism” for bribing the president.

Shaub’s comments come after White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday that keeping the identities of those who purchase Hunter Biden’s artwork a secret provides “quite a level of protection and transparency.”

“I mean, they have outsourced Government Ethics to an art dealer. She mentioned industry standards. It’s an industry that’s notorious for money laundering,” Shaub said. “There’s no standards in that industry, and the idea that they’re going to flag any overly priced offers, well this is art that hasn’t even been juried into a community art sale. How is, how are they going to decide what’s unreasonable when they’ve already priced it in the range of $75,000 to $500,000 for a first outing? This is just preposterous and very disappointing.”

Shaub noted that there is nothing that can be done to monitor the situation to “make sure that Hunter Biden or anyone in the White House doesn’t find out, that the dealer keeps his or her promise that the buyers don’t call the White House, ask for a meeting and say, ‘Hey, I just bought the President’s son’s art for $500,000.'”

Shaub said that the situation is “a perfect mechanism for funneling bribes to” the president.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/obama-ethics-chief-warns-on-hunter-biden-art-secrecy-perfect-mechanism-for-funneling-bribes-to-president

[Mika-El]

Saw this reminder: 'the laptop stories that "leak" are not about Hunter, but Joe.'

They were suppressed to protect him for election, now some drips to remind they are out there to use when they are needed.

Nearly 60% of people do not believe he is running things. Kind of makes one wonder about the 40%.

When "they" want him gone, he will be.

All Presidents are props or bobblehead dolls. How much personal control they have over any decision is an illusion. We all just do not know who are the real powers. I do not mean that as a conspiracy but simply as the inherent nature of politics.

[Gunny]

If I remember correctly, many here and elsewhere figured Joe might kick off or have to be removed for competency, especiallywhen it was apparent since primaries. It now appears while both are still possibilities, the insurance policy is the laptop contents and impeachment. Removing a president for mental defect isn't as easy as it appears. For crimes in and out of office? Yeah, easier.I think the Dems are waiting on the Republicans to propose it. Sure, they'll do the dirty work. Reluctantly and caveating the whole process with "we didn't realize ...".

Within 3-5 years the narrative will be "the Republicans impeached Biden as payback for the Dems going after Trump". Within 10 years it'll be accepted fact.

I wouldn't touch it with a 10 ft pole; which, means the Republicans will be right on top of taking the bait. They always do. I have yet to see the GOP use ANY foresight in anything it does.

Removing Biden from office means President Harris. I view her as a far more dangerous puppet than Biden.