The art gallerist who deals in Hunter Biden‘s artwork issued a fawning statement on Thursday about the first son’s paintings, just a day after Republicans requested his records.

George Berges, the owner of the George Berges art gallery in New York City, praised the younger Biden and his artwork effusively in a statement to the New York Post. Berges’ statement came just a day after the House Oversight Committee sent a letter to him demanding he hand over any and all communications he may have had with the White House, as well as information on his dealings with Hunter Biden.

“I represent Hunter Biden because I feel that not only his art merits my representation, but because his personal narrative, which gives birth to his art, is very much needed in the world,” Berges said in his statement to the New York Post. “His is a story of perseverance; Hunter’s story reflects what I believe is the beauty of humanity, judged not by the fall, but by having the strength to rise up, by having the character required to change and the courage to do it. Hunter Biden’s art reflects all of that and more. His art gives us hope; it reminds us that tomorrow brings a new day, a new beginning, a new possibility.”

“Hunter Biden will become one of the most consequential artists in this century because the world needs his art now more than ever,” Berges continued. “In a world that beats us down, we need art in our lives that reminds of the unrelenting divinity within each of us.”

“Almost 10 years ago I opened a gallery that has a global perspective on the human experience and that seeks to find artists who I feel will be consequential not just in the art world but in the broader culture,” the art dealer went on. “Artists that are relevant to the times, not to esoteric circles where art and exhibitions come and go unnoticed by society, by the people, by culture, but relevant innovative artists and exhibitions that challenge us, and engage us.”

Berges told the outlet that further inquiries should be referred to his lawyers. He added that his primary focus is “the integrity of our artists and the privacy of our art collectors.”

Berges’ fawning statement comes just a day after House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) sent a letter to Berges demanding information on Hunter Biden’s art dealings as part of their investigation into the Biden family’s business dealings. In the letter, Comer slammed Berges for not cooperating with the Committee when Republicans were in the minority, then requested the same information again.

In the letter, Comer demanded all relevant documents and communications between the dealer, his gallery, and the Biden White House or Hunter Biden; the agreements or contracts between Berges or the gallery and Hunter Biden; documents related to the prices for his artwork; any ethics guidelines set down in conjunction with the White House; and documents sufficient to show who attended the opening of Biden’s art shows and bought his pieces.

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) reintroduced legislation Thursday titled the “PENCIL Act” that would call to ban fellow Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) from handling any classified information.

Gaetz derived the resolution acronym, “Preventing Extreme Negligence with Classified Information Licenses,” from former President Donald Trump, who first called Schiff “little pencil neck” during a rally in 2019.

“Congressman Adam Schiff led the effort for years to weaponize lies from the Clinton campaign and a corrupt Department of Justice to smear President Trump while destroying any trust the country had left in America’s intelligence agencies,” Gaetz told The Daily Caller, which first obtained the legislation text.

Gaetz reintroducing the legislation comes two days after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) formally booted two high-profile Democrats from the House Intelligence Committee — Schiff and fellow California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell.

“Speaker McCarthy kept his promise to remove Rep. Schiff from the Intelligence Committee, and with the PENCIL Resolution, we will express the sense of Congress that he should be barred from accessing any classified information at all,” Gaetz added. “He can no longer be trusted by his colleagues in Congress or the American people.”

McCarthy has the unilateral authority to block members from the House Intelligence Committee as speaker.

McCarthy vowed to bump Schiff and Swalwell from the perches they held for years. McCarthy has also talked about removing Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from the Foreign Affairs Committee, but that would take a House floor vote.

Schiff posted on the Chinese-owned TikTok app after McCarthy removed him from the House Intelligence Committee, saying the speaker pulled him “for doing my job, for holding Trump accountable and standing up to the extreme MAGA Republicans.”

Schiff denied taking classified information while speaking with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell, who asked if he had taken any records home while serving on the committee.

“This is what’s so astounding, I think, for all of us on the Intelligence Committee,” Schiff said. “I never take classified documents to my house.”

“I don’t know any reason why people would,” Schiff added.

Following the removal of Schiff and Swalwell, former Trump administration official Mike Pompeo accused Schiff of leaking classified information.

“During my time as CIA director and secretary of state, I know that he leaked classified information that had been provided to him,” Pompeo said, adding when the administration provided information to Schiff and his staff, such documents “ended up in places it shouldn’t have been with alarming regularity.”

Daniel Chaitin contributed to this report.