Two IRS whistleblowers are reporting that the Justice Department interfered with their investigation of Hunter Biden.
The House Ways and Means Committee released the testimony of the two former IRS agents Thursday. They worked on the federal investigation into the younger Biden’s possible tax violations and questionable foreign business dealings.
Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) explained what the agents said about how Justice Department officials blocked their investigations.
“Whistleblowers describe how the Biden Justice Department intervened and overstepped in a campaign to protect the son of Joe Biden by delaying, divulging and denying an ongoing investigation into Hunter Biden’s alleged tax crimes,” Smith told reporters.
“Not one, but two IRS employees are blowing the whistle with evidence that the federal government is not treating taxpayers equally when enforcing tax law,” he said. “The whistleblowers were working on an investigation into Hunter Biden that opened in November of 2018 as an offshoot of a separate corporate investigation by the IRS.”
“Let me emphasize, this was an investigation in the ordinary course of work at the IRS,” Smith noted. “It was not ordered by any individual, any chairman, or any political entity. The testimony we released today shows the IRS recommended charges against Hunter Biden that included an attempt to evade or defeat tax – a felony. Fraud or false statements – a felony. And willful failure to file returns, supply information or pay tax.”
“These tax crimes cover an estimated $2.2 million in unreported tax on global income streams to Mr. (Hunter) Biden and his associates from Ukraine, Romania, and China, totaling $17.3 million from 2014 to 2019,” he said. “Mr. Biden personally received $8.3 million.”
The Justice Department denied the whistleblower claims, saying the U.S. attorney in charge of the Hunter Biden probe, David Weiss – who was appointed by former President Donald Trump – had full authority over the case.
Hunter Cited His Father While Issuing Threats in China Business Deal
In addition, House Republicans said Gary Shapley, the lead IRS agent on the Hunter Biden tax investigation, told the committee his team uncovered evidence that Hunter had invoked his father, who was out of office at the time, while pressing a potential Chinese business partner in 2017 to move ahead with a proposed energy deal, according to The New York Times.
Shapley testified his team used a search warrant to obtain a July 30, 2017, WhatsApp message from Hunter Biden to Henry Zhao, a Chinese businessman. He provided a summary of the message to the committee. In the message, Hunter Biden told Zhao that he was sitting with Joe Biden and that “we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled,” the outlet reported.
“Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight,” Hunter Biden wrote, referring to other participants in the proposed deal. “And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang, or the chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction.”
The Times said in its report, “Taken at face value, the message would undercut President Biden’s longstanding claims that he had nothing to do with his son’s international business deals.” But the outlet also noted, “it was not immediately clear whether Hunter Biden had been with his father when he sent the message or what his father — then a private citizen, having finished his term as vice president six months earlier — knew about his son’s negotiations with his potential Chinese partners.”
A second whistleblower who asked the committee to keep his identity secret, told of his persistent frustrations with the way the Hunter Biden case was handled, dating back to the Trump administration under Attorney General William Barr. He said he started the investigation into Hunter Biden in 2015.
The whistleblower said he was taken off the investigation in October 2022 and informed of the decision by officials at the IRS, but believes his removal was actually ordered by officials in the Justice Department. He provided no evidence to show that was the case. Shapley, the person’s supervisor, was removed from the case at the same time.
Democrats objected to the committee’s handling of the testimony, noting that the two individuals are just a fraction of the many investigators and officials who were involved in the Hunter Biden case.
“We do not object to the documents being reviewed publicly,” said Rep. Richard Neal, the top Democrat on the committee. “We object to the process. Clearly, the case is not ready. So many witnesses have never even been contacted.”
The release of the whistleblowers’ testimony comes just two days after Hunter Biden, 53, announced he will plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses as part of an agreement with the Justice Department.
As CBN News reported, he will also admit guilt for a felony gun charge. In exchange, he’s expected to avoid jail time.
The DOJ charged the president’s son with unlawful possession of a firearm in Delaware while “knowing that he was an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance.”
Hunter Biden is also charged with failure to pay more than $100,000 in federal income taxes on more than $1.5 million he earned in 2017 and 2018, including money he got from business dealings in Ukraine and China. Those taxes have reportedly been fully paid now.
Two people familiar with the investigation told the Associated Press the Justice Department would recommend probation for the tax charges, meaning Hunter Biden will not face time behind bars. But the decision to go along with any deal is up to the judge.
The gun charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, but the Justice Department said Hunter Biden had reached a pretrial agreement. Full details were not immediately disclosed.
House Speak Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) slammed Hunter Biden’s plea deal as proof of a “two-tiered justice system in America.”
U.S. Rep. James Comer (R-KY), the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said the younger Biden is “getting away with a slap on the wrist.”
“What we’ve uncovered would suggest money laundering, would suggest tax evasion, would suggest racketeering, many serious crimes,” he continued.
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