IRS Abruptly Removes Investigative Team From Hunter Biden Probe: Whistleblower’s Attorneys Claim

Authored by Steve Straub via The Federalist Papers,

In an alarming move that has raised eyebrows and suspicions about the integrity of federal agencies, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) abruptly removed the entire team working on the high-profile tax fraud investigation of Hunter Biden, first son of President Joe Biden.

This drastic action allegedly came on the orders of the Justice Department, adding to the widespread concern among conservatives about potential corruption and the abuse of power within the federal government.

The abrupt reassignment of the investigative team has been perceived by many as retaliation against the supervisory special agent whistleblower, who alleged a coverup of the controversial probe.

The agent, who has been overseeing the investigation since early 2020, was informed of this sudden personnel change, according to a letter from his attorneys, Mark Lytle and Tristan Leavitt, to Congress.

Scoop: IRS whistleblower who alleged coverup in Hunter Biden tax investigation says his entire team was removed from case

His lawyers tell Congress that ‘this move is clearly retaliatory and may also constitute obstruction of a congressional inquiry’ https://t.co/bvAys2dUGS

— Steven Nelson (@stevennelson10) May 15, 2023

In the letter, Lytle and Leavitt suggested that the removal of the investigators not only constituted retaliation but could also be construed as an obstruction of a congressional inquiry.

The attorneys pointed out that their client had a legal right to make disclosures to Congress under 5 U.S.C. § 2302 and that any attempt to prevent a federal employee from furnishing information to Congress is a direct violation of long-standing appropriations restrictions.

They further emphasized that the removal of the experienced investigative team was the very issue the whistleblower initially sought to expose.

Hunter Biden, who was seen giving journalists a thumbs-up during his daughter Maisy’s graduation ceremony from the University of Pennsylvania, is the alleged subject of the coverup claims.

Communications retrieved from his abandoned laptop revealed that he had paid up to “half” of his income to his father, President Joe Biden.

This controversy arose simultaneously with the release of the long-awaited report by special counsel John Durham detailing bias in the FBI’s investigation of former President Donald Trump’s alleged links to Russia.

The timing of these events has further incensed conservatives, fueling claims of a biased news cycle.

The IRS whistleblower first surfaced last month when Lytle informed congressional leaders that his client wished to expose the “preferential treatment” in the Hunter Biden case and the alleged false testimony to Congress by Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Garland had repeatedly reassured lawmakers that Delaware US Attorney David Weiss could unilaterally make charging decisions in the investigation.

This information comes amid reports of “growing frustration” within the FBI over Weiss’s failure to bring charges against Hunter Biden, despite the bureau concluding most of its work last year.

Weiss, a Trump administration holdover endorsed by Delaware’s two Democratic senators, had been at the helm of the investigation, which reportedly began in 2018.

This incident is not the only whistleblower complaint to surface recently. Another whistleblower informed Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) that the FBI has a file from 2020 alleging that Joe Biden accepted bribes as vice president.

These allegations led House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) to issue a legally binding subpoena for the document.

However, the FBI, in a move that further intensifies the scrutiny on federal agencies, refused to comply and submit the document to Congress last week.

The meeting between Hunter Biden’s attorneys and Justice Department leaders a week after the IRS whistleblower stepped forward has sparked speculation that a charging decision may soon be reached in the tax fraud investigation.

Nonetheless, critics argue that such a decision has been long overdue, and the delay only adds to the growing frustration within the FBI and the mounting skepticism among conservatives.

These recent events have raised serious questions about the impartiality of federal agencies and their alleged use as political tools.

The sudden removal of the IRS investigative team from the Hunter Biden probe, particularly in the wake of the whistleblower’s allegations of a coverup, signifies a troubling trend.

It serves as a stark reminder of the need for transparency, accountability, and the rule of law within these agencies to ensure they act in the best interest of the American people, rather than as political instruments.

The weaponization of federal agencies is a matter of grave concern for conservatives, who view these incidents as blatant attempts to shield the Biden administration and hamper the proper functioning of democratic institutions.

As this story unfolds, it further underscores the pressing need for an unbiased investigation into these allegations to restore public faith in the integrity and independence of federal agencies.