While counsel William Pittard insists that the list of purchasers must remain secret, it is hard to see the viable legal basis to refuse the demand of the House Oversight Committee, if made subject to a congressional subpoena.

The Biden sales have long been a subject of intense debate over whether it is another form of influence peddling or money laundering. Even President Barack Obama's ethics head has raised objections.

Former Obama-era ethics official Walter Shaub called the art sale a "terrible idea" and noted that "it just is implausible that this art from an unknown artist would be selling at this price if it didn't have the Biden name attached to it."

A new artist, Biden is fetching prices that exceed the prices of some Picassos. The quality of the work will be left to others to debate, but the Oversight committee has a legitimate interest in looking into whether the art is being used to funnel money to the family of President Joe Biden.