Trey Paul, FISM News
Just one month after FISM News reported an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agent claimed the Hunter Biden criminal investigation is corrupt, another bombshell allegation has emerged detailing how law enforcement ignored concerns about the tax probe for years.
The IRS agent who is working with federal prosecutors on the Hunter Biden tax investigation now says the agency ignored his team’s warnings about years of misconduct by the Justice Department officials who are overseeing the probe.
The latest allegation was made public Monday after it appeared in a May 18 letter the agent sent to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel. It garnered an immediate reaction from US Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa who has long supported whistleblowers.
“IRS commissioner Werfel: what r u doing to protect IRS whistleblowers??” Grassley posted on Twitter Monday evening. “They r being treated like skunks at a picnic under ur watch UNACCEPTABLE u must protect them from retaliation it’s the law.”
IRS commissioner Werfel: what r u doing to protect IRS whistleblowers?? They r being treated like skunks at a picnic under ur watch UNACCEPTABLE u must protect them from retaliation it’s the law
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) May 23, 2023
Last week, FISM News reported attorneys for an IRS supervisory special agent (SSA) informed Congress the DOJ had removed their client and his entire team from the investigation after he made protected disclosures.
“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 SSA said.
The team representing the SSA believes that move was a form of retaliation.
“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.
That same SSA said federal prosecutors took part in “preferential treatment and politics” to prevent charges from being filed against Hunter Biden. He also said President Biden appointees limited the ability of Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss to pursue charges against his son by refusing to grant Weiss permission to do so within their jurisdictions.
This news prompted Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik who represents New York to demand accountability. She wrote on social media: “The IRS is complicit in the cover-up of Hunter Biden’s tax fraud. There must be accountability.”
The IRS is complicit in the cover-up of Hunter Biden’s tax fraud.
There must be accountability.https://t.co/a4aEIK4W2Q
— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) May 16, 2023
Despite allegations of retaliation, IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel told Congress last month that the agency would not take action against the whistleblower. “I can say without any hesitation, there will be no retaliation for anyone making an allegation or called into a whistleblower hotline,” Werfel said.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) is calling on the IRS to explain their latest actions. In a statement, he wrote:
This most recent communication concerning allegations of retaliatory actions against a whistleblower, appears to contradict the sworn testimony by Commissioner Werfel who pledged that whistleblower protections would be upheld. Congress’s duty to hold government agencies accountable relies on the availability and willingness of individuals to speak out about wrongdoing. Not only does retaliation like this discourage whistleblowers, it can also rise to the level of an illegal violation of statutory protections for whistleblowers. I call on Commissioner Werfel to abide by his pledge, quickly provide information to Congress in response to these allegations, and ensure that no action is taken to discourage those who attempt to shine a light on government misconduct.