Shapley went public yesterday after gaining notoriety during a CBS News interview. Today, the House Ways and Means Committee, led by Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri, will hear from the veteran IRS Criminal Investigations member in a confidential meeting.
After discussions between his attorney and officials from the House Ways and Means Committee, Shapley cut off all communication with the Senate Finance Committee, another IRS watchdog. His quick decision included canceling a meeting with committee chairman, Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon. As Shapley prepares to present his findings before the House panel, the sudden decision underscores the complicated and contentious nature of the ongoing investigation into Hunter Biden’s tax troubles.
According to an insider on the finance committee who spoke to The Independent, officials from the Republican and Democratic factions met to discuss lawyer Mark Lytle, who represents Gary Shapley. Lytle, a former federal prosecutor, was under surveillance during this meeting.
According to a source, members of the finance committee of both political parties had a detailed conversation with the attorney for an IRS whistleblower. The source explained that Democratic and Republican finance committee staff previously met for many hours with attorneys who represented an IRS whistleblower.
Committee staff and the whistleblower’s lawyer had agreed to arrange a face-to-face meeting with the whistleblower the following week. However, the whistleblower refused and did not want to schedule another meeting. A source confirms that Senator Wyden and his team are prepared to organize a meeting that respects the Taxpayer Data Protection Act, but at the same time ensures a fair and thorough investigation.
A 14-year-old veteran employee of the Internal Revenue Service recently alleged that Hunter Biden was allowed to slowly navigate an investigation involving potential criminal charges. In a public statement, Gary Shapley revealed several investigative procedures that he says were never fully executed during a recent investigation. Shapley recalled that the investigation he conducted was peculiar, with changes in the usual workflow, which made him notice significant differences from previous cases. The IRS had been investigating tax evasion against Hunter Biden for more than three years before the team was disbanded at the request of the Justice Department.
Since then, President Joe Biden’s administration has sought to defend itself against allegations of political bias by transferring jurisdiction over the investigation to the U.S. Attorney in Delaware. Shapley argued that the investigation was subject to interference, despite his remoteness from the White House.
“We’ve seen these inconsistencies in the investigative process for a few years. And I just couldn’t imagine the DOJ acting unethically in this case,” he said.
Shapley clarified that his decision to come forward was not politically motivated. Instead, he just wants to make sure the tax agency treats Hunter Biden fairly, like any other US citizen currently under review.
“I don’t get involved in politics,” he said. “It’s not something that interests me. My profession requires me to approach every investigation with impartiality and fairness, and I take my oath seriously.” Shapley will make a private statement to the House Ways and Means Committee on Friday. By submitting a letter to the Office of Special Counsel alleging “irregularities” in the investigation and citing a “busy meeting” between Shapley’s team and the Justice Department last October, his lawyer has already laid the groundwork for his presence.