House Panel Subpoenas Senior IRS Officials Over Hunter Biden Tax Case

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Facts

  • Two officials from the FBI and two from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Monday received subpoenas from two GOP-led committees in Congress. The four reportedly have direct knowledge of an October 2022 meeting in which an IRS whistleblower alleges US attorney David Weiss said he lacked the authority to bring charges in a case into Joe Biden's son Hunter that was ongoing at the time.1
  • The subpoenas came after requests in late June — submitted by chair of the House Judiciary Committee Jim Jordan and chair of the House Ways and Means Committee Jason Smith — for the FBI and IRS to testify voluntarily were refused.1
  • A joint statement from Jordan and Smith — who are investigating whether political interference played a role in investigations into Hunter Biden — said that they have, "sought these interviews since IRS whistleblowers came forward." Investigations thought to be undermined concern Hunter's potential, "foreign influence peddling and tax evasion."1
  • "Unfortunately, the Biden Admin. has consistently stonewalled Congress," the statement added. It continued, saying: "our subpoenas compelling testimony from Biden Admin. officials are crucial to understanding how the Pres.’s son received special treatment from federal prosecutors."2
  • The officials who received subpoenas are IRS director of field operations Michael Batdorf, IRS special agent in charge Darrell J. Waldon, FBI special agent in charge Thomas Sobocinski, and FBI assistant special agent in charge Ryeshia Holley.3
  • Weiss was appointed as special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden earlier this month by Attorney Gen. Merrick Garland, giving Weiss the power to investigate without conventional oversight from the Justice Department. The appointment came on the same day that the younger Biden’s plea deal with the govt. fell through.3

Sources: 1NBC, 2New York Post, and 3National Review.

Narratives

  • Republican narrative, as provided by NBC. These subpoenas requesting testimony from Biden Admin. officials are a crucial part of understanding how the President’s son received special treatment from federal prosecutors. Weiss has consistently flip-flopped on whether he had the authority to be the ultimate decision-maker in the case. Hopefully, answers can finally be found in this disturbing case.
  • Democratic narrative, as provided by The Hill. If Hunter Biden has broken the law, he should obviously be held accountable for it. But this case has been deliberately blown out of proportion with the aim of damaging the reputation of Pres. Biden. This witch hunt needs to be reeled in and critics need to recognize that there is no evidence that Pres. Biden has ever compromised his office for his son.

Predictions