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Person

Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali

Nationality:

American
Occupation:

Real Estate Investor
Political Party:

Democratic Party
Residence:

Los Angeles, California

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Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali is a real-estate investor, philanthropist, and Democratic Party donor who has reportedly purchased artwork from Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden. 1 In July 2022, President Biden appointed her to the United States Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad. 2

Naftali was subpoenaed as a part of a U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee investigation led by Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) into Hunter Biden’s artwork sales in November 2023. 3

As of January 2024, Naftali is on the board of the left-of-center Representation Project and RAND Corporation. 4 5 6 Previously, she sat on the national finance committee of the 2020 presidential campaign of Joe Biden and the 2016 presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton and was a deputy finance chair for the Democratic National Committee (DNC). 7

Career

Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali is a Los Angeles, California-based real-estate investor, philanthropist, and Democratic Party donor who has reportedly purchased artwork from Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden. 8 Hirsh-Naftali is on the board of the Representation Project, a left-of-center filmmaking and advocacy project. She has also sat on the National Finance Committee of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and the National Finance Committee of the 2020 Joe Biden presidential campaign, and was a deputy finance chair for the Democratic National Committee (DNC). 9

Naftali is influential in California Democratic political circles and has hosted fundraisers headlined by Vice President Kamala Harris. She also contributed to numerous Democratic congressional campaigns, is active in Israel-related and Jewish causes in Los Angeles, 10 and sits on the board of the RAND Corporation Center for Middle East Public Policy. 11

Naftali runs The Capitol Coffee Connection podcast, which has featured guests including former U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA), Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO), Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), and others. 12 13

Connection to Hunter Biden

In July 2022, President Joe Biden appointed Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali to the United States Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad, 14 which identifies and reports on cemeteries, monuments, and historic buildings in Eastern and Central Europe that are associated with the heritage of U.S. citizens. 15 16

According to reports, Naftali’s appointment came just eight months after she purchased artwork at the first art show of Hunter Biden, son of President Biden. 17 Biden administration officials have suggested that former U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) recommended the appointment, but others have claimed that Hunter Biden knew that Naftali was a buyer of his art, both before and after her appointment to the commission. 18

In November 2023, Naftali was subpoenaed as a part of a U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee investigation led by Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) into Hunter Biden. She was subpoenaed for deposition testimony regarding her purchase of Hunter Biden’s artwork. Comer said that her role in the purchase of artwork and her position on the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad “raised the committee’s concerns.” 19

Political Contributions

According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali made numerous political contributions to Democratic Party candidates and Democratic-affiliated campaign committees for several election cycles. In 2023, Naftali made at least $282,297 of FEC-reportable contributions. Recipients of these funds included the re-election campaign of President Joe Biden, $15,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), $15,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), and $2,500 to the Democratic Party of South Carolina. That same year, she also supported the Congressional campaigns of former U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA), Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL), Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), and Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), and the U.S. Senate campaigns of Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). She also made donations to ActBlue-affiliated Equality Project 2024, 20 Women’s Political Committee, Square One Politics, PAC to the Future, Equality Congress, Democratic Grassroots Victory Fund, Purpose PAC, and others. 21

During the 2022 election cycle, Naftali gave $100,000 to Democratic-aligned House Majority PAC. She also supported the DSCC, Democratic National Committee (DNC), the Mainstream PAC affiliated with U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), 22 Swing Left, Democratic Party of North Carolina, Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Democratic Party of Pennsylvania, Democratic Party of Nevada, Fight to 51 Fund, Fair Shot PAC, House Majority PAC, and others. Hirsh Naftali contributed to the campaigns of U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Rep. Ro Khanna (D-DC), Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-NY), Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-GA), Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Rep. Sean Maloney (D-MA), and others during the same cycle. 23 24

Personal Information

Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali Liz was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She runs and owns a commercial real estate company in Los Angeles. 25

References

  1. Turley, Jonathan. “Hunter’s Art Dealer Contradicts White House Claims Over Art Sales.” Jonathan Turley Website. January 10, 2024. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://jonathanturley.org/2024/01/10/hunters-art-dealer-contradicts-white-house-claims-over-art-sales/.
  2. “President Biden Announces Key Appointments to Boards and Commissions.” The White House. July 1, 2022. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/07/01/president-biden-announces-key-appointments-to-boards-and-commissions-2/.
  3. Johnson, Ted. “Philanthropist Liz Hirsh Naftali Talks About New Political Podcast. Advocacy For Her Great Niece And Other Hamas-Held Hostages And Why There Is “Nothing There” In GOP Hunter Biden Queries.” Deadline. December 5, 2023. Accessed January 21, 2024. https://deadline.com/2023/12/liz-hirsh-naftali-podcast-israel-hamas-1235652350/.
  4. “Elizabeth Hirst Naftali.” Ikar. Accessed January 19, 2024. https://ikar.org/team/elizabeth-hirsh-naftali/.
  5. “Advisory Board.” RAND Corporation. Accessed January 21, 2024. https://www.rand.org/international/cmepp/about/advisory.html.
  6. “Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali.” U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad. Accessed January 21, 2024. https://www.heritageabroad.gov/amo-team/elizabeth-hirsh-naftali.
  7. “Elizabeth Hirst Naftali.” Ikar. Accessed January 19, 2024. https://ikar.org/team/elizabeth-hirsh-naftali/.
  8. Turley, Jonathan. “Hunter’s Art Dealer Contradicts White House Claims Over Art Sales.” Jonathan Turley Website. January 10, 2024. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://jonathanturley.org/2024/01/10/hunters-art-dealer-contradicts-white-house-claims-over-art-sales/.
  9. “Elizabeth Hirst Naftali.” Ikar. Accessed January 19, 2024. https://ikar.org/team/elizabeth-hirsh-naftali/.
  10. Schwartz, Mattathias. “Exclusive: Hunter Biden’s gallery sold his art to a Democratic donor ‘friend’ whom Joe Biden named to a prestigious commission.” Business Insider. July 24, 2023. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.businessinsider.com/hunter-biden-joe-artwork-berges-gallery-elizabeth-hirsh-naftali-2023-7.
  11. “Advisory Board.” RAND Corporation. Updated May 2023. Accessed January 21, 2024. https://www.rand.org/international/cmepp/about/advisory.html.
  12. Johnson, Ted. “Philanthropist Liz Hirsh Naftali Talks About New Political Podcast. Advocacy For Her Great Niece And Other Hamas-Held Hostages And Why There Is “Nothing There” In GOP Hunter Biden Queries.” Deadline. December 5, 2023. Accessed January 21, 2024. https://deadline.com/2023/12/liz-hirsh-naftali-podcast-israel-hamas-1235652350/.
  13. “The Capitol Coffee connection Podcast.” The Capitol Coffee Connection Podcast YouTube Channel. Updated January 9, 2024. Accessed January 21, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMtVgJ2KV_InNGGMGQwa4KELgAvnoFwry.
  14. [1] “President Biden Announces Key Appointments to Boards and Commissions.” The White House. July 1, 2022. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/07/01/president-biden-announces-key-appointments-to-boards-and-commissions-2/.
  15. “About.” U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad. Accessed January 21, 2024. https://www.heritageabroad.gov/about.
  16. Schwartz, Mattathias. “Exclusive: Hunter Biden’s gallery sold his art to a Democratic donor ‘friend’ whom Joe Biden named to a prestigious commission.” Business Insider. July 24, 2023. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.businessinsider.com/hunter-biden-joe-artwork-berges-gallery-elizabeth-hirsh-naftali-2023-7.
  17. Emily Smith and Bruce Golding. “Hunter Biden sells five art prints for $75K each as NYC show pushed back.” New York Post. October 7, 2021. Accessed January 21, 2024. https://nypost.com/2021/10/07/hunter-biden-sells-five-prints-for-75k-each-as-nyc-show-pushed-back/.
  18. Vincent, Isabel. “’Arrogant’ Hunter Biden slammed for demanding ‘s—ty art’ buyers’ names, despite WH claiming otherwise.” New York Post. January 17, 2024. Accessed January 19, 2024. https://nypost.com/2024/01/17/news/arrogant-hunter-biden-demanded-sh-ty-art-buyers-names/.
  19. Johnson, Ted. “Philanthropist Liz Hirsh Naftali Talks About New Political Podcast. Advocacy For Her Great Niece And Other Hamas-Held Hostages And Why There Is “Nothing There” In GOP Hunter Biden Queries.” Deadline. December 5, 2023. Accessed January 21, 2024. https://deadline.com/2023/12/liz-hirsh-naftali-podcast-israel-hamas-1235652350/.
  20.  “Equality Project 2024.” Act Blue. Accessed January 21, 2024. https://secure.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/148910.
  21. [1] “Individual Contributions.” Federal Election Commission Search Results for Elizabeth Naftali. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=elizabeth+naftali.
  22. “PAC Profile: Mainstream PAC.” Open Secrets. Accessed January 21, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/mainstream-pac/C00343574/summary/2020.
  23. [1] “Individual Contributions.” Federal Election Commission Search Results for Elizabeth Naftali. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=elizabeth+naftali.
  24. “Individual Contributions.” Federal Election Commission Search Results for Elizabeth Naftali. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=elizabeth+naftali.
  25. “Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali.” Ikar. Accessed January 19, 2024. https://ikar.org/team/elizabeth-hirsh-naftali/.
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