Attorney for IRS Whistleblowers Responds to Lawsuit Filed by Hunter Biden's Attorneys

Katie wrote this week that Hunter Biden’s attorneys have decided to use the nuclear option: they’re suing the IRS for failing to protect their client’s privileged information. The legal drama for the president’s son doesn’t stop with the IRS. He was recently indicted on gun charges by Special Counsel David Weiss, the same felonies he almost skated away scot-free, based on a failed plea deal Weiss had a hand in crafting. The IRS whistleblowers nuked that agreement with their July testimony: 

Hunter Biden is suing the Internal Revenue Service, arguing whistleblower testimony from career agents was meant to embarrass him and was a violation of his privacy. 

"President Biden’s son Hunter Biden filed a lawsuit Monday against the Internal Revenue Service, charging that when agents who were investigating him told Congress and news reporters about their concerns that the case was not being managed properly, they violated his privacy rights as a taxpayer," the Washington Post reports. "Biden charges in the lawsuit that when two IRS agents went to Congress and news organizations complaining of alleged mishandling of the investigation by Justice Department officials, they disclosed information about the investigation, and about Biden’s taxes, that the law aims to keep secret." 

The attorneys for the president’s son did not have a successful counterattack when IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler offered credible testimony in July concerning Department of Justice interference in their investigations into Hunter Biden. 

Shapley outright contradicted statements offered by Attorney General Merrick Garland regarding the independence of these probes. Both men gave House Democrats fits during their hearing, incapable of debunking or refuting any of their claims. Hunter Biden’s attorneys threw the first punch, alleging that Shapley had leaked sensitive information about Hunter Biden to The Washington Post. Shapley denied the accusation and permitted the Post to release any electronic communications if they so chose to corroborate his affidavit. Shapley also said the information he obtained was legally acquired through a search warrant. 

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On CBS News, Shapley and Ziegler’s attorney, Tristian Leavitt, told Catherin Herridge that this legal action is “alarming” and that the IRS has no obligation to interfere with whistleblower disclosures. He rightly said this was done with the impeachment inquiry in the background, but that’s Congress’ wheelhouse. 

Tristan Leavitt, an attorney for IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley, calls the timing of Hunter Biden's lawsuit against the IRS "alarming."

"Of course, it also comes in the context of an impeachment inquiry, but that's for Congress to pursue on its own.” pic.twitter.com/Vt1dgQbiZr

— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) September 18, 2023

Lawsuit filed by Hunter Biden's attorneys against the IRS alleges the agency failed to protect his confidential tax information. Tristan Leavitt, attorney for IRS whistleblower, says the IRS is "obligated not to interfere" with whistleblower disclosures. pic.twitter.com/F9jRKQTbgj

— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) September 18, 2023

Attorney for IRS whistleblower says the line wasn’t crossed via @CBSNews streaming #AmericaDecides https://t.co/Afw7putNKS

— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) September 18, 2023

Statement on Hunter Biden lawsuit from Gary Shapley legal team: “This suit against the IRS is just another frivolous smear by Biden family attorneys trying to turn people’s attention away from Hunter Biden’s own legal problems and intimidate any current and future whistleblowers.… pic.twitter.com/PUif2Dw1uR

— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) September 18, 2023

Katie added Jonathan Turley’s two cents where the George Washington University law professor says this move by Hunter’s lawyers sure looks like whistleblower intimidation. 

Last, a former law clerk for Justice Neil Gorsuch tore apart the gun indictments against Hunter Biden. If Weiss is part of it, it cannot be trusted, and he explains why here.