IRS Whistleblower Alleges Hunter Biden Received ‘Preferential Treatment’
Summary from the AllSides News Team
An IRS whistleblower alleged the Department of Justice buried implicating evidence on Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son.
Details: Earlier this week, federal prosecutors and Hunter Biden agreed on a plea agreement, under which, Biden would plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax crimes. This agreement was the result of a years-long investigation. Now, whistleblower testimonies released by the House Ways and Means Committee allege the Department of Justice interfered in the investigation and buried evidence.
Key Quotes: One of the whistleblowers, Gary Shapley, an IRS supervisory special agent, told the committee that the president’s son received “preferential treatment,” and alleged that “DOJ officials dragged their feet on the IRS taking these investigative steps” in 2020 after it became clear Joe Biden would be the Democratic presidential nominee. Shapley also revealed that investigators found a WhatsApp message sent by Hunter Biden to a Chinese official that began with, “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.”
How The Media is Covering It: The whistleblower is being covered across the spectrum, but framing is split. Right-rated outlets are focusing heavily on the message to the Chinese official along with the allegation of investigation interference, but left and center-rated outlets are typically only focusing on interference allegations, often omitting the WhatsApp message.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Right
Biden DOJ ran interference for first son Hunter in tax fraud probe, IRS whistleblowers say in bombshell testimony
Two IRS whistleblowers told Congress in closed-door testimony released Thursday that the Justice Department waged a coverup in the tax fraud investigation of first son Hunter Biden — revealing stunning details of alleged interference and new evidence indicating President Biden was involved in his son’s foreign dealings.
Among the shocking details made public by the House Ways and Means Committee:
*The Hunter Biden probe was opened in November 2018 off the back of an investigation the IRS was conducting of a “foreign-based amateur online pornography platform,” according to whistleblower Gary Shapley....
From the Left
IRS whistleblowers allege sweeping political interference in Hunter Biden case
The Justice Department and Delaware U.S. Attorney’s office went out of their way to hamper an IRS investigation of Hunter Biden’s taxes by consistently slow walking the case, preventing enforcement actions by the IRS and tipping off actions related to the investigation to Biden’s attorneys in advance, according to new whistleblower testimony released Thursday by the House Ways and Means Committee.
Following a closed executive session Thursday morning, the Republican-controlled committee led by Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) exercised its unique authority to publicly release information in the five-year federal investigation...
From the Center
Whistleblowers say IRS recommended felony charges in Hunter Biden probe, allege political interference
Two whistleblowers told a House panel that the IRS recommended additional felony tax charges against Hunter Biden and alleged that the case was slow-walked by prosecutors.
Gary Shapley, an IRS supervisory special agent, told the House Ways and Means Committee in testimony released Thursday that the IRS recommended felony tax evasion charges, as well as felony charges for filing false tax returns, against Biden.
Biden ultimately agreed to plead guilty to two minor tax crimes and to enter into a pretrial diversion agreement on a separate charge of unlawful possession of a...
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May 20th, 2024
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