An IRS whistleblower claimed Wednesday night Trump-appointed US attorney David Weiss told him he was not in charge of deciding whether or not Hunter Biden faced federal charges – and that a Joe Biden-appointed attorney made the call.
Gary Shapley, in an interview with Fox News, described an October 7, 2022, meeting with top IRS and FBI officials on the investigation into President Joe Biden’s son.
‘I was there, and I witnessed this personally,’ Shapley said, noting Weiss started by saying ‘he’s not the deciding person whether or not charges are filed or not.’
Shapley claimed the final decision was made by officials in Washington DC. He noted Weiss meet with the Matthew Graves, the US Attorney for the District of Columbia, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, in March 2022.
‘After that occurred, he was no longer looking to charge,’ Shapley said.
IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley claimed Trump-appointed US attorney David Weiss told him he was not in charge of deciding whether or not Hunter Biden faced federal charges – and that a Joe Biden-appointed attorney made the call
‘So that’s earth-shattering news,’ Fox News’ Bret Baier said. ‘It’s a Biden-appointed D.C. U.S. attorney, Matthew Graves, would not allow him to charge in his district?’
‘I didn’t learn that fact until October 7 of 2022, so looking back to March of 2022. And that’s when David Weiss, in October 7, 2022, said that the D.C. U.S. attorney’s office will not allow us to charge there,’ Shapley responded.
Shapley, who worked for the agency for 14 years, helped oversee the investigation into the president’s son. He is raising questions over alleged special treatment throughout the probe and how the charging decisions were made.
Shapley noted Weiss said he had requested special counsel authority and was denied.
‘I even had him repeat that, because I knew how important that fact was, and I wanted to make sure I understood it,’ he noted.
Shapley said he even documented the details of the meeting in an email and noted that email was in the hands of House investigators.
The House Ways and Means Committee last week released testimony from two IRS whistleblowers who alleged officials at the Justice Department, the FBI, and the IRS interfered with Weiss’ investigation.
Matthew Graves, the US Attorney for the District of Columbia, who was appointed by President Joe Biden
Shapley was one of those two whistleblowers.
In response to the release of that information, Attorney General Merrick Garland denied interfering in the Hunter Biden probe.
‘I don’t know how it would be possible for anybody to block him from bringing a prosecution,’ Garland said last week of Weiss.
The defense came a day after Shapley’s stunning allegations about the case were unsealed by House Republicans, and after both Hunter Biden and the AG were guests at a White House State Dinner.
Asked about any directive not to bring charges against Hunter in 2022, Garland responded: ‘As I said at the outset, Mr. Weiss was appointed by President Trump as the U.S. attorney in Delaware and assigned this matter during the previous administration.’
Garland said Weiss ‘would be permitted to continue his investigation and to make a decision to prosecute any way in which he wanted to and in any district in which he wanted to. Mr. Weiss has since sent a letter to the House Judiciary confirming he had that authority.
‘I don’t know how it would be possible for anybody to block him from bringing a prosecution, given that he has this authority,’ he said.
He claimed Weiss never asked to be appointed special prosecutor.
‘Mr. Weiss had, in fact, more authority than a special counsel would have.’
‘He was given complete authority to make all decisions on his own,’ he noted.
‘Some have chosen to attack the integrity of the Justice Department by claiming that we do not treat cases alike. This constitutes an attack on an institution that is essential to American democracy,’ Garland said.
President Joe Biden, son Hunter Biden and grandson Beau Biden Jr. arrive at Fort Lesley J. McNair on Sunday after spending the weekend at Camp David
‘I don’t know how it would be possible for anybody to block him from bringing a prosecution,’ Attorney General Merrick Garland said of US Attorney for Delaware David Weiss
The testimony from an IRS whistleblower revealed that U.S. Attorney David Weiss – the Trump-era holdover who prosecuted the case against Hunter Biden – allegedly asked for special counsel status and was denied by the Department of Justice
Hunter Biden, in his plea deal with the US government, agreed to plead guilty to two counts of failing to pay timely tax payments on $1.5 million in income. Weiss announced that agreement along and noted he charged Hunter in connection with his purchase of a handgun in 2018 but said he would not prosecute the charge under a two-year pretrial diversion program.
Republicans are investigating Garland’s role in the case and whether or not Weiss truly had the authority to make charging decisions.
‘If it comes true what the I.R.S. whistle-blower is saying, we’re going to start impeachment inquiries on the attorney general,’ Speaker Kevin McCarthy told Fox News.
President Joe Biden has said repeatedly he had nothing to do with Hunter’s business dealings and the White House has emphasized they are staying out of any Justice Department investigations.
Shapley also told CBS News on Tuesday that he was repeatedly prevented from taking the necessary – and routine – steps when it came to Hunter’s case.
He said conduct uncovered during the five-year investigation could have implicated President Joe Biden as well, and resulted in additional charges.
And he claimed the road blocks were happening even during the Trump years.
‘There were certain investigative steps that we weren’t allowed to take that could have led us to President Biden,’ Shapley said, adding that his team at the IRS ‘needed to take [those steps] and we weren’t allowed to take them.’
IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley (pictured) told CBS News that Hunter Biden did receive special treatment – and said he was prevented from taking the routine steps during the investigation into the president’s son
In their congressional interviews, both Shapley and the other agent questioned whether the U.S. attorney overseeing Hunter’s case was even able to bring charges he saw fit.
Weiss said in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee weeks ago that he was granted ‘ultimate authority over this matter, including responsibility for deciding where, when, and whether to file charges.’
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