According to multiple reports, the Department of Justice removed an IRS whistleblower and the “entire investigative team” from a tax fraud investigation into Hunter Biden.
In a letter written to Congress, the whistleblower’s attorneys alleged it as a retaliatory act.
“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. He was informed the change was at the request of the Department of Justice,” Mark Lytle and Tristan Leavitt wrote.
BREAKING: IRS whistleblower, team removed from Hunter Biden case in possible retaliation, Congress told | Just The News https://t.co/FYaXk1skR8
— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) May 16, 2023
BREAKING: A Biden administration whistleblower informed Congress today that the “entire investigative team” working on the Hunter Biden case at the IRS was removed from the case today, and that that their removal was specifically requested by DOJ.
Developing…
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) May 16, 2023
The IRS whistleblower came forward last month and cited a conflict of interest impacting the investigation.
The Criminal Supervisory Special Agent’s attorney requested whistleblower protection for his client, saying “politics are ‘improperly infecting decisions’ in the investigation.”
The New York Post reported:
The whistleblower, who has supervised the Hunter Biden probe since early 2020, has not publicly identified the first son as the subject of his coverup claims, though congressional sources have done so.
“On April 27, 2023, IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel appeared before the House Committee on Ways and Means. He testified: ‘I can say without any hesitation there will be no retaliation for anyone making an allegation or a call to a whistleblower hotline.’ However, this move is clearly retaliatory and may also constitute obstruction of a congressional inquiry,” the lawyers went on.
“Our client has a right to make disclosures to Congress … He is protected by 5 U.S.C. § 2302 from retaliatory personnel actions—including receiving a ‘significant change in duties, responsibilities, or working conditions’ (which this clearly is) because of his disclosures to Congress.
“Any attempt by any government official to prevent a federal employee from furnishing information to Congress is also a direct violation of longstanding appropriations restriction. Furthermore, 18 U.S.C. § 1505 makes it a crime to obstruct an investigation of Congress,” Lytle and Leavitt wrote.
The whistleblower’s team added: “We respectfully request that you give this matter your prompt attention. Removing the experienced investigators who have worked this case for years and are now the subject-matter experts is exactly the sort of issue our client intended to blow the whistle on to begin with.”
SHOCK: Biden's DOJ has removed the entire IRS team investigating Hunter Biden's tax fraud case. In doing so the IRS also removed the whistleblower in retaliation obstructing the congressional investigation.
h/t @DonaldJTrumpJr https://t.co/R3NO4kwJpV pic.twitter.com/c8LIukoxUH— @amuse (@amuse) May 16, 2023
Just the News added:
The letter was addressed to the GOP chairman and top Democrats on the Judicial and House Ways and Means committees as well as the Democrat chairmen and top Republicans on the Senate Finance and Judiciary committees.
In late April, Just the News reported that an IRS whistleblower was alleging that federal prosecutors had engaged in "preferential treatment and politics" to prevent tax charges from being filed against the president's son.
The whistleblower's allegations appear to contradict sworn testimony from Attorney General Merrick Garland that Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss, who has been heading up the investigation, had full authority to pursue the case without fear of political interference.
Speaking on the "Just the News, No Noise" television show on Friday, Leavitt revealed that congressional leaders had received the allegations with interest and would likely to hold hearings to air his client's claims.
He also said Missouri Republican Rep. Jason Smith has identified that House Ways and Means is committed to thoroughly hearing these allegations, "so we look forward to a process. ... We are engaged with both sides of the aisle, and we anticipate that ultimately, our client, a very, very courageous and well-respected whistleblower, will be able to share his allegations with Congress."
Just the News obtained a copy of the letter written by Mark Lytle and Tristan Leavitt.
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