In a recent development, the GOP-led House Ways and Means Committee has subpoenaed two senior IRS officials for testimony regarding a meeting that took place in October 2022. This meeting involved an IRS whistleblower who alleged that David Weiss, the U.S. attorney at the time, investigating Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, stated that he did not have the ultimate authority to bring charges against Hunter Biden.
Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Weiss as special counsel in the case earlier this month, after a plea agreement between Hunter Biden and the government fell apart. The committee chairman, Rep. Jason Smith, sent letters to Michael Batdorf, an IRS director of field operations, and Darrell Waldon, an IRS Special Agent in Charge, requesting transcribed interviews in early September. The IRS has so far refused to cooperate voluntarily, leading to the issuance of a subpoena.
The IRS whistleblower, Gary Shapley, testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in May. According to the transcript of his testimony, Shapley referred to the October 7, 2022 meeting as his “red-line” meeting. He claimed that Weiss, along with senior-level managers from the IRS, FBI, and the Delaware U.S. attorney’s office, participated in the meeting. During this meeting, Shapley alleged that Weiss informed them that he didn’t have the authority to file charges against Hunter Biden. Furthermore, Weiss revealed that he had requested special counsel authority from the Main DOJ but was denied.
Shapley also raised concerns about the possibility of bringing tax charges in California, where Hunter Biden currently resides. He stated that Weiss mentioned that if California did not support charging Hunter Biden, he would have no authority to do so either. Shapley’s testimony included internal IRS communications, such as an email sent to Waldon and Batdorf on October 11, 2022. Waldon confirmed the accuracy of Shapley’s summary of the meeting, including Weiss’s statement about lacking the authority to charge Hunter Biden.
The IRS has yet to respond to CBS News’ request for comment, and representatives for Weiss and the Justice Department have declined to comment as well. However, Weiss previously stated in a letter to Congress that he had been given the authority to bring charges in any district where they could be filed, including Washington, D.C., and California. Attorney General Garland also confirmed that Weiss had the freedom to decide how and where to prosecute.
These IRS subpoenas are the latest development in the GOP’s ongoing investigations into Hunter Biden’s business dealings, as they seek to connect them to the president. Recently, Hunter Biden’s former business partner, Devon Archer, testified before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, discussing his dealings with the Bidens. Archer claimed that Hunter Biden was selling “the brand” during Joe Biden’s vice presidency and that Joe Biden himself brought the most value to the brand. The White House has repeatedly denied any involvement by the president in his son’s business ventures.
Democrats have criticized the GOP’s approach, accusing them of cherry-picking information to fit a politically motivated narrative. They argue that the committee should seek the whole truth and interview more witnesses instead of relying on only two individuals. Chairman Smith has the subpoena power but lacks Democratic support, raising concerns about the impartiality of the investigation.
In conclusion, the GOP-led House Ways and Means Committee has subpoenaed two senior IRS officials to testify about a critical meeting in October 2022 where the U.S. attorney investigating Hunter Biden allegedly claimed he lacked the authority to bring charges against him. This development adds to the ongoing investigations into Hunter Biden’s business dealings and the attempts to tie them to President Joe Biden. The response from the IRS and other involved parties is yet to be seen, leaving the full extent of the impact of these subpoenas uncertain.