Yet another whistleblower has come forward after the entire IRS investigative team tasked with investigating Hunter Biden was mysteriously removed from the investigation, this time alleging that the Department of Justice (DOJ) was “acting inappropriately” — which he says led to the decision to remove his team.
A second IRS whistleblower has come forward expressing concern about the Hunter Biden investigation.
What's worse: the Biden family's corruption or the coverup?
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) May 23, 2023
While several investigations of the Biden family’s shady business dealings are taking place in the Republican-led House of Representatives, the IRS was also supposedly looking into Hunter Biden for fraud and tax violations. However, recent developments — including whistleblower testimony — have prompted concern about potential interference in the IRS investigation from the Biden administration.
On May 15, a lawyer for the first whistleblower — an IRS supervisor — sent a letter to Congress revealing that his team had been removed from the Hunter Biden investigation.
“Today the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Supervisory Special Agent we represent was informed that he and his entire investigative team are being removed from the ongoing and sensitive investigation of the high-profile, controversial subject about which our client sought to make whistleblower disclosures to Congress,” read a letter sent to congressional leaders, which was obtained by The Federalist. “He was informed the change was at the request of the Department of Justice.”
Now, an IRS special agent — who works under the abovementioned whistleblower — has revealed that efforts to report “issues” related to the alleged mishandling of the Hunter Biden investigation were ignored by their direct IRS superiors in the Criminal Investigation Division for years.
“The ultimate decision to remove the investigatory team … without actually talking to that investigatory team, in my opinion was a decision made not to side with the investigators but to side with the US Attorney’s Office and Department of Justice who we have been saying for some time has been acting inappropriately,” the special agent said.
On Monday, Just The News published an email from lawyers representing the IRS supervisor to IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. In the email, the lawyers attached another email from the second whistleblower and warned Werfel about actions that could “chill the disclosures of other IRS whistleblowers who may wish to come forward.”
Alongside the news of the investigative team being removed allegedly at the request of the DOJ, lawyers Mark Lytle and Tristan Leavitt stated that they had learned of “additional reprisals” against IRS agents.
According to The Daily Wire, the lawyers attached additional emails to their message to Werfel that “show IRS brass scolding the special agent for apparently not following the proper chain of command — even suggesting that the agent’s email sent to IRS leadership may have been criminal by potentially containing grand jury material — and advising others to refrain from discussing case-related activity without proper authorization.”
While the IRS has previously insisted that “retaliation against any IRS employee making a whistleblower allegation” would not be tolerated, the agency has thus far refused to respond to the whistleblower claims about reprisal.
Meanwhile, Leavitt also sent an email to the Office of Special Counsel about the issue — detailing several instances of potential retaliation against whistleblowers, including when the IRS supervisor-turned-whistleblower was allegedly passed over for a promotion that was then given to a less experienced individual after the whistleblower spoke to Congress and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Another example included in the email involved the IRS investigative team looking into Hunter Biden, who were allegedly excluded from prosecutorial calls after U.S. Attorney David Weiss was made aware of their communications about concerns that the case was being mishandled.
“We look forward to working with the Office of Special Counsel to ensure no additional retaliation occurs and to obtain corrective action,” Leavitt, who is president of a group called Empower Oversight, concluded in the email.
In another email sent to Congress, the lawyers stated that the IRS supervisor plans to appear before the House Ways and Means Committee on Friday.
Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and James Comer (R-KY) appeared on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity” to discuss the retaliation against whistleblowers.
