The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has reportedly withdrawn “the entire investigative team” involved in the tax fraud investigation of Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden. The move is believed to be retaliation against a whistleblower who recently contacted Congress, alleging a cover-up in the case. Attorneys for the whistleblower have told congressional leaders that the purge was conducted at the behest of the Justice Department.
The whistleblower, who oversaw the Hunter Biden investigation since early 2020, raised concerns about the mishandling of the investigation and claims it is being swept under the rug, according to lawyers. Although the first child has not been publicly identified as the subject of the case, congressional sources have confirmed it.
Lawyers argue that the dismissal of the investigative team appears to be retaliation and may hinder a congressional investigation. They refer to earlier testimony by IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel that there would be no retaliation for whistleblowers. The IRS and Justice Department have not yet responded to requests for comment, and Hunter Biden’s legal team and the White House also did not immediately respond.
Lawyers representing the whistleblower informed Congress that the removal of the investigative team was ordered by the Department of Justice, The New York Post reports. Details about the decision and the specific reasons for the removal remain unclear at this time.
“Today, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Oversight Special Agent we represent has been informed that he and his entire investigative team are being removed from the ongoing and sensitive investigation into the controversial matter and high profile about which our client sought to leak information to Congress,” attorneys Mark Lytle and Tristan Leavitt wrote. “He was informed that the change was at the request of the Department of Justice.”
“On April 27, 2023, IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel appeared before the House Ways and Means Committee. He stated, “I can say without a doubt that there will be no retaliation for to anyone who files a complaint or calls a whistleblower hotline.” However, this action is clearly retaliatory and may also constitute obstruction of a congressional investigation,” the attorneys continued.
“Our client has the right to make disclosures to Congress… He is protected by 5 USC § 2302 from retaliatory actions by personnel, including receiving a ‘significant change in duties, responsibilities, or working conditions'” that this is clearly) because of his revelations. to Congress.”
“Any attempt by any government official to prevent a federal employee from providing information to Congress is also a direct violation of the long-standing procurement restriction. In addition, 18 USC § 1505 makes it a crime to obstruct an investigation by Congress,” Lytle and Leavitt continued.
“We respectfully request that you give your immediate attention to this matter,” the whistleblower’s team added. “Eliminating the experienced investigators who have worked on this case for years and are now the subject matter experts is exactly the type of problem our client intended to raise to begin with.”
Hunter Biden, 53, is under investigation for alleged failure to pay taxes on millions of dollars in income, mostly from foreign sources. The whistleblower, along with an unknown number of subordinates, was removed from the investigation at the same time the Justice Department released a report by special counsel John Durham outlining bias in the FBI’s investigation of the alleged former President Donald Trump’s ties to Russia.
The IRS whistleblower recently came forward, seeking to share information about “preferential treatment” in the Hunter Biden case and Attorney General Merrick Garland’s alleged false testimony to Congress about collection decisions made by Delaware’s U.S. Attorney , David Weiss.
The tax fraud investigation reportedly began in 2018 and there have been signs it could lead to a charging decision. Last month, Hunter Biden’s lawyers met with Justice Department leaders. The investigation has looked into possible money laundering, violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act and false statements about drug use on a gun purchase form.
House Republicans are conducting their own investigation into President Biden’s family’s overseas business dealings, focusing on the business ventures of Hunter Biden and his brother James Biden. They allege that members of the Biden family used their connections to the US government to sell access and did not provide legitimate commercial services.
As the situation unfolds, scrutiny over the Hunter Biden tax fraud investigation and its implications for the Biden administration continues to increase.
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