The House Ways and Means Committee released testimony yesterday, June 22, from two whistleblowers who worked on the Hunter Biden tax evasion case for the Internal Revenue Service. A news release from the committee commences by saying the testimony of the two employees “outlines misconduct and government abuse at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the investigation of Hunter Biden.”
In its preamble to the lengthy testimony, the committee maintains: “The allegations point to a steady campaign of: unequal treatment of enforcing tax law; Department of Justice (DOJ) interference in the form of delays, divulgences, and denials, into the investigation of tax crimes that may have been committed by the President’s son; and finally, retaliation against IRS employees who blew the whistle on the misconduct.”
“The American people deserve to know that when it comes to criminal enforcement, they are not on the same playing field as the wealthy and politically connected class,” Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) stated. “The preferential treatment Hunter Biden received would never have been granted to ordinary Americans.”
The first witness testimony self-identified as a non-political, gay, career government employee. He’s been an agent with the IRS since 2010. Here is part of what he told the committee:
“I started this investigation in November of 2018 after reviewing bank reports related to another case I was working on a social media company. Those bank reports identified Hunter Biden as paying prostitutes related to a potential prostitution ring. Also included in those bank reports was evidence that Hunter Biden was living lavishly through his corporate bank account. This is a typical thing that we look for in tax cases -- criminal tax cases, I should say. In addition, there was media reporting related to Hunter Biden's wife, ex-wife, divorce proceedings basically talking about his tax issues. And I wanted to quote some of the things that were said in her divorce filing which was public record. ‘Throughout the parties' separation, Mr. Biden’ -- referring to Hunter Biden – ‘has created financial concerns for the family by spending extravagantly on his own interests, including drugs, alcohol, prostitutes, strip clubs, gifts for women with whom he had sexual relationships with, while leaving the family with no funds to pay legitimate bills.’ The parties' outstanding debts are shocking and overwhelming. The parties have maxed-out credit card debt, double mortgages on both real properties they own, and a tax debt of at least $300,000.”
Throughout his testimony, the whistleblower constantly referred to “normal cases” versus the Hunter Biden tax probe. He spoke at length about details, subtleties, and the challenge of working around other involved government agencies saying, “In essence, they were not letting me do my investigative job.” At times, frustration and emotion could be detected in the agent’s transcript.
Hunter Biden and “Crucial Information”
Hunter and Joe Biden (Photo by Teresa Kroeger/Getty Images for World Food Program USA)
One particular area of interest that was reported both in the Washington Examiner and on Fox News centered on a Whatsapp message that – if authentic – implicates the president in his son’s business dealings. Sean Hannity’s website posted a transcript of the message, which was said to be written by Hunter Biden to Chinese businessman Henry Zhao:
”I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight. 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. I am sitting here waiting for the call with my father.”
Perhaps the most damning accusation of all came from IRS Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley, Jr., who also testified to the unusual treatment of the Hunter Biden tax investigation. “I am alleging, with evidence, that DOJ provided preferential treatment, slow-walked the investigation, did nothing to avoid obvious conflicts of interest in this investigation.” He maintains charges against the younger Biden were thwarted in both the District of Columbia and California.
Regarding the whistleblowers testimony, Legal Scholar Jonathan Turley penned an article in the New York Post in which he said, "I recently wrote that [Attorney General Merrick] Garland, by his own measures, has failed as Attorney General in restoring trust in his department. However, this is far more serious than allegations of negligence. It would constitute a knowing effort to delay and obstruct efforts to investigate the Biden family — and to mislead Congress."
The release of the committee’s testimony came just days after it was announced that Hunter Biden had reached a plea deal related to tax evasion and an illegal handgun charge. His court date has been set for July 26.
