Paintings by former businessman-turned-artist Joe Biden’s son Hunter were at the center of a Republican-led congressional investigation on Wednesday that accused the family of “trading their contacts and influence,” AFP reported.

The chairman of a powerful congressional committee has written to the New York gallery that exhibits the works of Hunter Biden, demanding to provide Congress with a list of buyers of his works.

“Your deal with Hunter Biden raises serious ethical issues and raises the question of whether the Biden family is once again peddling contacts and influence,” Rep. James Comer, a Republican, said in the letter.

He is also inviting gallery owner Georges Burgess to testify before Congress in February.

Hunter Biden is one of the favorite targets of the Republican camp, which, after gaining a new majority in the House of Representatives, has promised to launch a series of investigations into the Democratic president.

Republicans are particularly pointing to the risk that industrialists or financiers will buy Hunter Biden’s work with the sole purpose of currying favor with the White House.

According to James Comer, some of the paintings presented by the New York gallery of Georges Burgess cost $225,000.

“Who will pay large sums for the works of Hunter Biden, which a priori are worthless? Of course, not Picasso,” the elected conservative wrote on Twitter.

The gallery did not respond to questions from AFP.

In recent days, she has been promoting Hunter Biden’s work on social media.

The Biden administration, which wants to present itself as ethically conscientious, has repeatedly asked about the creative career of Joe Biden’s son, a former lawyer and businessman.

The president’s youngest son was regularly criticized for his economic interests in Ukraine and China when his father was Barack Obama’s vice president (2009-2017).