A group of prominent Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives is expressing serious concerns about allegations that the IRS is taking retaliatory actions against whistleblowers.
Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, the whistleblowers in question, had the audacity to tell Congress last year that the Biden administration mishandled its investigation into Hunter Biden’s alleged tax shenanigans. They suggested, as if anyone could believe it, that Hunter might have received some special treatment.
These IRS insiders, boasting a combined 27 years at the agency, dared expose that this case was handled with the kind of kid gloves usually reserved for VIPs. They testified that Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf even blocked a search warrant for the Biden home and nipped in the bud any plans to interview the president. Talk about pulling strings.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), and House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-La.), along with other prominent Republicans, penned a letter to Acting Principal Deputy Special Counsel Karen Gorman at the DOJ regarding these issues.
“The testimony of IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler has consistently highlighted misconduct and politicization in the DOJ’s criminal investigation of Hunter Biden,” the letter stated.
The letter further emphasized that Shapley and Ziegler have allegedly faced retaliation for their disclosures. It praised their courage in reporting wrongdoing and emphasized the importance of an impartial investigation by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel into their claims.
Shapley and Ziegler have taken the courageous step of filing federal claims, alleging that they have encountered retaliation for their whistleblowing actions. Despite these serious accusations, there has been a noticeable lack of progress in addressing their claims, with no concrete steps taken on their behalf to date.
The Republicans are not just calling for an investigation; they demand an unbiased and thorough inquiry into the allegations, highlighting the critical importance of protecting whistleblowers. They argue that without such protection, individuals who come forward to expose wrongdoing will continue to face undue influence and retaliation, undermining the entire system’s integrity.
