Much controversy surrounded President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden over alleged incidents where the first son was accused of profiting off of his father’s influence.
Florida Rep. Michael Waltz (R) has introduced the Preventing Anonymous Income by Necessitating Transparency of Executive Relatives (PAINTER) Act. The bill would “require the President and Vice President of the United States to report the same financial disclosure information of their non-dependent children as currently required for their spouse and dependent children under Section 102(e) of the Ethics in Government Act.”
In a statement, Waltz criticized the Biden Administration, arguing that “we have witnessed shameless attempts to profit off Joe Biden’s presidency that jeopardized the integrity of the White House.”
“Despite the Biden Administration’s silence on this issue, American citizens have a right to know who is attempting to purchase access to the White House through an ‘artist’, Hunter Biden, with no established credentials to warrant such enormous profits,” Waltz added.
With the legislation, Waltz argues that he is trying to “put transparency first in the White House and shed light on the actions of the adult children of the President or Vice President that can be used to influence their parent’s position of power.”
Regarding the specific financial information that the President and Vice President would be required to report, the legislation mentions that it would be:
- The source and type of earned income exceeding $1,000;
- The source and amount of any honoraria received aggregating more than $200;
- The source and type of income from dividends, rents, interest, and capital gains exceeding $200 and the value of the amount;
- The source, description, and value of any gifts received due solely, or in part, to the non-dependent child’s relationship with the President or Vice President; and
- The source, description, and value of any reimbursements received due solely, or in part, to the non-dependent child’s relationship with the President or Vice President.
