Nestled on a back road in the tawny foothills of Santa Barbara County, the elegant estate is one in a long string of luxury homes owned by wealthy Democratic Party donors that have hosted the Bidens in recent years.
Biden has close ties to Kiani, the billionaire founder and chief executive officer of medical technology company Masimo in Irvine. The president has described the entrepreneur and Democratic mega donor as "one of my closest friends."
Elected officials, including the president, are generally required to disclose gifts as part of the ethics laws passed in the wake of the Watergate scandal. But officials are not required to disclose "any food, lodging, or entertainment received as personal hospitality."
Richard Painter, a corporate law professor at the University of Minnesota, said Biden would need to disclose the "free use" of a friend's house. However, if the friend is there with him then it would not have to be reported.
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