House Republicans are out with a new report on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) investigation into Hunter Biden and how it strayed from normal procedures to benefit the first son.
The House Ways and Means, Oversight and Judiciary Committees released a lengthy report Tuesday detailing how the DOJ deviated from standard procedure and gave Hunter Biden “special treatment” during its investigation. (RELATED: DOJ Prosecutors Grill Hunter Biden For Attempting To Subpoena Donald Trump)
The fresh report details the accusations brought forward by IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler related to the Hunter Biden case and how witness testimony has confirmed much of the whistleblowers’ testimony. (RELATED: Top Democrat Attacks IRS Whistleblower Gary Shapley By Omitting Key Details From Witness Testimony)
READ THE FULL REPORT:
“The third prong of the impeachment inquiry encompasses oversight, initiated by the Committees following the whistleblowers’ revelations, into the Biden Justice Department’s purported commitment to impartial justice,” the report outlines.
Shapley and Ziegler first testified to the Ways and Means Committee in May and June with allegations of special treatment in the Hunter Biden case. The IRS whistleblowers testified publicly in July after transcripts of their testimony were released in late June.
“As part of this aspect of the inquiry, as it relates to the criminal investigation of Hunter Biden and the potential obstruction of that investigation, the Committees have so far obtained hundreds of pages of documents from the whistleblowers and conducted transcribed interviews with ten officials from the Justice Department, FBI, and IRS.”
DOJ officials such as special counsel David Weiss, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, and Biden-appointed U.S. Attorneys Matthew Graves of D.C. and E. Martin Estrada of the Central District of California have testified before the House Judiciary Committee, according to transcripts reviewed by the Daily Caller.
FBI agents on the Hunter Biden case have also testified before the Judiciary Committee, and additional IRS officials have testified to the Ways and Means Committee about Shapley and Ziegler’s testimony.
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 19: (L-R) Flanked by their counsel, Supervisory IRS Special Agent Gary Shapley and IRS Criminal Investigator Joseph Ziegler testify during a House Oversight Committee hearing related to the Justice Department’s investigation of Hunter Biden, on Capitol Hill July 19, 2023 in Washington, DC. The committee heard testimony from two whistleblowers from the Internal Revenue Service who allege that the Hunter Biden criminal probe was mishandled by the Department of Justice. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Graves and Estrada confirmed their refusal to cooperate with Weiss on the Hunter Biden case after the IRS whistleblowers brought the Biden appointees’ conduct to light. Weiss similarly confirmed Graves and Estrada decided against working with him on potentially prosecuting Hunter Biden. (RELATED: Biden-Appointed Prosecutor Ignored Potential Conflict Of Interest In Hunter Biden Case, Testimony Shows)
In spring 2022, Weiss attempted to obtain special attorney authority under section 515 of the U.S. code to possibly prosecute Hunter Biden outside of his jurisdiction. The DOJ denied Weiss’ request and told him to follow the process, Weiss testified.
Shapley first brought forward similar accusations related to Weiss unsuccessfully requesting special counsel authority and being told to follow the process in Spring 2022.
“The testimony and documents received by the Committees to date corroborates many of the allegations made by the IRS whistleblowers,” the committee report states. (RELATED: Hunter Biden Sent Direct Monthly Payments To Joe Biden From Bank Account For Chinese Money, Comer Reveals)
“Testimony demonstrated that the Justice Department and FBI bureaucrats afforded special treatment to Joe Biden’s adult son Hunter,” the report continues.
“Evidence shows Department officials slow-walked the investigation, informed defense counsel of future investigative actions, prevented line investigators from taking otherwise ordinary investigative steps, and even allowed the statute of limitations to expire on the most serious potential charges.”
Weiss confirmed the statute of limitations expired for the 2014-15 tax years after Graves decided not to join Weiss on the Hunter Biden case. Both whistleblowers testified the statute of limitations expired for alleged tax offenses committed by Hunter Biden related to his income from Ukrainian energy firm Burisma Holdings.
Burisma paid Hunter Biden more than $80,000 per month to sit on its board during both of those tax years, according to bank records released in August by the House Oversight Committee.
In addition, an FBI agent confirmed the Joe Biden presidential transition team was tipped off to plans to interview Hunter Biden in December 2020 that were ultimately thwarted.
The House Ways and Means Committee released documents in September corroborating the IRS whistleblower testimony accusing Delaware Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf of allegedly protecting Joe Biden and stonewalling an attempt to search Hunter Biden’s storage facility in Virginia.
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan subpoenaed Wolf in late November to testify before the House Judiciary Committee about her conduct. Weiss defended the integrity of Wolf and his team of prosecutors when he testified.
WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 20: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland testifies before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on September 20, 2023 in Washington, DC. The committee is holding an oversight hearing on the U.S. Department of Justice. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Attorney General Merrick Garland testified publicly before the Judiciary Committee in September and repeatedly deferred to Weiss on the specifics of the Hunter Biden case.
Garland appointed Weiss special counsel in August following Hunter Biden’s failed guilty plea deal and the IRS whistleblower testimony. The attorney general refused to answer questions about Lesley Wolf, citing alleged threats to her safety.
“Biden Justice Department officials explained to the Committees how U.S. Attorney Weiss did not have ‘ultimate authority’ over the Hunter Biden case, contrary to his assertions to Congress,” the House report goes on.
DOJ tax official Stuart Goldberg and David Weiss both confirmed the DOJ Tax Division has to approve specific investigative actions and charges brought against Hunter Biden, regardless of Weiss’ special counsel designation. (RELATED: Hunter Biden Tax Case Received Special Attention From DOJ Investigators, Top Official Testifies)
“After the whistleblowers came forward, the Biden Justice Department attempted to cover-up Hunter Biden’s wrongdoing, as well as its own,” the report says, citing Hunter Biden’s failed guilty plea deal with the DOJ.
Hunter Biden was expected to plead guilty in July to two tax misdemeanors and enter a pretrial diversion agreement for a felony gun charge in Delaware.
His plea deal collapsed when Judge Maryellen Noreika questioned a prosecutorial immunity provision inside of the diversion agreement. Biden ended up pleading not guilty to the two tax offenses. Hunter Biden is now suing the IRS for alleged illegal disclosures by the whistleblowers.
Hunter Biden was indicted in September on three federal gun charges and pleaded not guilty in October. Weiss is reportedly working with a California grand jury to investigate Hunter Biden’s taxes and subpoenaed his uncle James Biden.
Weiss has yet to level new tax charges against Hunter Biden.