The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Monday disassembled the entire investigative team probing the tax fraud allegations against Hunter Biden, the first son, an act a whistleblower has claimed to be "clearly retaliatory." The alleged retaliatory move follows the whistleblower's recent approach to Congress, asserting a coverup in the ongoing case, according to The Post.
The investigative team's removal reportedly came from the Justice Department, as articulated by the whistleblower's lawyers, Mark Lytle and Tristan Leavitt, in a letter to congressional leaders. "Our client sought to make whistleblower disclosures to Congress... He was informed the change was at the request of the Department of Justice," they wrote.
Though the whistleblower, who oversaw the Hunter Biden probe since early 2020, did not publicly link the first son to the case he claims is being swept under the carpet, it was confirmed by congressional sources.
The lawyers' letter further cited IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel's testimony before the House Committee on Ways and Means on April 27, 2023, where he assured that there would be no retaliation for whistleblowing. They contended, "However, this move is clearly retaliatory and may also constitute obstruction of a congressional inquiry."
The attorneys demanded immediate attention to the matter, arguing that removing the experienced investigators who have worked on the case for years is the very issue their client intended to expose.
The IRS, the Justice Department, and Hunter Biden's legal team have yet to respond to the development. The whistleblower's representatives also declined to comment further.
The 53-year-old first son is under investigation for alleged non-payment of taxes on substantial foreign-sourced income. Despite the ongoing probe, Hunter seemed in good spirits during his daughter Maisy's graduation from the University of Pennsylvania on Monday.
The investigation's upheaval coincided with the release of a special counsel John Durham's report detailing bias in the FBI's investigation of former President Donald Trump's alleged links to Russia, which dominated news coverage.
Last month, Lytle informed Congress of his client's desire to share information about "preferential treatment" in the Hunter Biden case and alleged false testimony to Congress by Attorney General Merrick Garland. The informant has already made disclosures to inspectors general at the Justice and Treasury departments.
Meanwhile, House Republicans are investigating President Biden's role in his family's overseas dealings, through which Hunter Biden and his first brother James earned millions from partnerships with wealthy individuals in countries where their powerful relative held sway.