# Hunter Biden artwork attracts ethics scrutiny
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [July 8, 2021, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031 "2021-07-08T21:55:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 6
### Author:  [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/101 "2021-07-09T18:04:48Z")
The nature of this kind of transaction could easily blow up to be a huge scandal. All it would take is a few state actors who seek to destabilize the US political environment. For example:
- “Anonymous” buyers get into a bidding war, driving prices well over $1M for every piece
- With a minimal amount of effort, the anonymous bidders are discovered to be Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs. Oops, they made simple mistakes when trying to hid their identity. Oh well.
- Massive RW media machine stirs this up and the Republicans take 2022 elections
- 2022-2024 is consumed with a constant stream of Republican “Benghazi” style hearings to uncover the “truth”
- R’s win 2024 election with their slogan “But what about Hunter’s finger paintings?”
In a scenario like this, the Bidens could be totally innocent and clueless. The Russians can do this all on their own with easily predicted outcomes. And the fact that the Russians and other state actors can set the tone on social media with their bot armies, they can push this narrative as much as they like.
The way the Bidens can mitigate this is by being as open and transparent as possible. Any kind of dismissive “trust me, don’t worry about it” attitude is only going to give this kind of thing the legs to get it across the finish line.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/102 "2021-07-09T18:20:55Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#):
>
> Maybe Hunter learns to code?
And then work where? Any company he got a job with, it would just be said that he was hired in order for that company to curry political favor.
I mean, seriously, here people are, criticizing him for selling art. There is nothing he can do but sit in a box for the next 4-8 years that won’t get the right wing scandal machine up in arms, and a bunch of concerned democrats giving them fuel.
He couldn’t get a job flipping burgers without it being a scandal.
> [@QuickSilver](#):
>
> The evidence for that is that Joe hasn’t seemed to have learned from the Burisma lesson.
What did Joe Biden do wrong here?
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#):
>
> Hunter has a law degree from Yale, why would he need to learn to code?
Because apparently anything that having a law degree from Yale qualifies you for is just nepotism.
A question about this blind sale. Is there anything in the contract that would actually penalize the buyer from publicizing his purchase? I’d be very surprised if it _doesn’t_ have some sort of NDA in effect while Biden is president.
And if not, is there anything stopping me from photoshopping a picture of Hunter’s work in my store, and trying to curry favor in that fashion?
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/103 "2021-07-09T18:22:51Z")
So, what’s the solution? Any relative of a Democrat in public office should go live in a monastery somewhere?
Or would that be currying favor with monastic culture?
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/104 "2021-07-09T18:26:56Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#):
>
> There is nothing he can do but sit in a box for the next 4-8 years that won’t get the right wing scandal machine up in arms, -
There will be an uproar on where the hell did he get a box and who’s benefiting from that procurement.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/105 "2021-07-09T18:29:49Z")
Who could Hunter possibly work for, what income could he draw, that would not be seen by the right wing rage machine as currying political favor?
I mean, I’m hiring, and if he showed up for an interview, I’d consider it.
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### Author:  [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/106 "2021-07-09T18:29:51Z")
Hunter Biden can do anything he wants.
Joe Biden owes the public one thing and one thing only in regards to these paintings. Don’t let the purchase of a painting have any influence his decision making.
That’s it.
- If the right wants to make a big deal out of it, fuck 'em.
- If there are actual people who were going to vote for Biden, but will vote for Trump instead if Hunter sells some paintings (these people don’t exist), fuck 'em.
- If there are people who will claim that this influenced their vote, fuck 'em.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/107 "2021-07-09T18:32:17Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#):
>
> And – if it hasn’t already been said – the theory behind blinding the art buyers to the WH and to Hunter Biden is good, but in another sense, it really is the antithesis of transparency.
Most of the time, such a sale would be a private sale. The public has absolutely no right to know who bought art from who. That is how it would be for anyone else.
They went an extra step to demonstrate that _they_ would not know who paid for it, and that is what is being drummed up as a scandal.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/108 "2021-07-09T18:34:38Z")
> [@filmore](#):
>
> R’s win 2024 election with their slogan “But what about Hunter’s finger paintings?”
This only works if Democrats care about Hunter’s finger paintings.
Do _you_ care about Hunter’s finger paintings?
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### Author:  [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/109 "2021-07-09T18:39:33Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#):
>
> This only works if Democrats care about Hunter’s finger paintings.
>
> Do _you_ care about Hunter’s finger paintings?
I know it’s nonsense, but plenty of R’s will be fired up with nonsense like that. It worked out pretty good for them in the 2016 election with their “Buttery Emails” strategy.
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### Author:  [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/110 "2021-07-09T18:43:25Z")
> [@filmore](#):
>
> It worked out pretty good for them in the 2016 election with their “Buttery Emails” strategy.
They didn’t vote for Trump over Hillary because of her emails. Some of them did use the email server excuse as for why they voted for Trump, but they were just trying to justify their stupidity. I’ve also seen no evidence that those who would have stayed at home suddenly were so outraged by an email server that they had to run to the polls after all.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/111 "2021-07-09T18:44:21Z")
I think that we can safely assume that the Republicans will be fired up in 2024 for any number of reasons. Hunter’s “finger paintings” or not will not make an iota if difference.
The only way it makes a difference is if Democrats choose to allow it to sway _their_ opinion of Biden, and choose to sit out the election. And the only way this will happen is if they are swayed by their fellow Democrats that they should care about Hunter’s art sale. And what you are doing in this thread is trying to convince fellow Democrats that we should care about Hunter’s art sale.
So, do you actually care about Hunter’s actions as a private citizen, or do you just want to make sure that other Democrats do?
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### Author:  [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/112 "2021-07-09T18:47:50Z")
A quick read, from late-2019, that’s pretty on-point.
Is it fair to say that the current situation comports with the spirit of Biden’s previous promises and the message of the policy wonks and government ethicists who weighed in on the subject ?
Last paragraph from the article:
> “Both the office holder and the relative have an obligation to the American people not to create the appearance that the office holder’s office is being used for the personal financial gain of the relative,” he said, “because that simply undermines public confidence in the office holder and the whole system.”
[https://www.newsday.com/news/nation/ethics-hunter-biden-politician-children-1.37660139](https://www.newsday.com/news/nation/ethics-hunter-biden-politician-children-1.37660139)
After four years of The Worst Corrosive Element To Our Democracy (at least in my lifetime), are we comfortable with ‘better than that fucker’ being the standard ?
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### Author:  [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/113 "2021-07-09T18:55:51Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#):
>
> After four years of The Worst Corrosive Element To Our Democracy (at least in my lifetime), are we comfortable with ‘better than that fucker’ being the standard ?
That’s not much of a standard, nor does it represent mine. My standard is:
> [@DMC](#):
>
> Don’t let the purchase of a painting have any influence his decision making.
When there is evidence that it does have influence, then address it.
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### Author:  [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/114 "2021-07-09T18:58:23Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#):
>
> After four years of The Worst Corrosive Element To Our Democracy (at least in my lifetime), are we comfortable with ‘better than that fucker’ being the standard ?
Can we wait until the office holder actually does something dishonest before acting like he’s dishonest?
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### Author:  [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/115 "2021-07-09T18:59:10Z")
I think your point
> [@DMC](#):
>
> When there is evidence that it does have influence, then address it.
Is made more difficult because …
> [@DavidNRockies](#):
>
> the theory behind blinding the art buyers to the WH and to Hunter Biden is good, but in another sense, it really is the antithesis of transparency.
>
> In another sense, wouldn’t it be better to tag that money with radioactive isotopes and trace it forever ?
>
> In any administration, I’d like to understand how often pay-to-play folks, or their agents, get an audience with high-level administration folks.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/116 "2021-07-09T18:59:34Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#):
>
> After four years of The Worst Corrosive Element To Our Democracy (at least in my lifetime), are we comfortable with ‘better than that fucker’ being the standard ?
How about, “Not having done anything wrong or unethical”?
Can you tell me what any of the Bidens have done that is unethical in this situation? The only thing unethical is the right wing scandal machine manufacturing a scandal out of nothing, and the only thing wrong is Democrats falling for it, again. (and again, and again, and again)
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### Author:  [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/117 "2021-07-09T19:00:37Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#):
>
> Can we wait until the office holder actually does something dishonest before acting like he’s dishonest?
I’m really going to side with the people from that Newsday article, and the closing quote that I cited above (post 112).
‘Something dishonest’ is an inaccurate characterization of my point.
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### Author:  [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/118 "2021-07-09T19:01:28Z")
Again: post #112.
It’s a bad look.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/119 "2021-07-09T19:01:34Z")
So, you don’t think that anyone is doing anything dishonest?
What’s the problem here?
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### Author:  [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2021, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hunter-biden-artwork-attracts-ethics-scrutiny/946031/120 "2021-07-09T19:01:58Z")
> [@hogarth](#):
>
> It’s actually not bad art, IMO.
>
> [Hunter Biden may pocket $1M per painting as he profits off his dad’s name](https://www.the-sun.com/news/3087046/hunter-biden-million-painting-psychedelic-artwork/)
I don’t have a very high opinion of Hunter, and rolled my eyes when I read that he was selling his “artwork”. But I gotta admit at least to me it looks pretty good. I’m not a person to judge whether something should sell for $50 and hang in the stairwell of a suburban home or sell for millions and end up in a top art gallery. But his stuff is aesthetically pleasing. He seems to be a legit artist.
Is he banking off his name? Sure, but any celebrity that sells artwork (and many do) will make money off their name. Even if they are just the family member of someone notable. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.
I also don’t mind if people scrutinize this sort of thing. I wish they’d done more of it when the Trumps were in office.
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