Two more IRS officials have come forward and detailed how Special Counsel David Weiss is now “not the person making the decision” on whether to charge President Biden’s son Hunter with tax crimes — contrary to sworn testimony from Attorney General Merrick Garland.
IRS Director of Field Operations Michael Batdorf and DC IRS Special Agent Darrell Waldon detailed how the Weiss investigation was thwarted in recent testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee, the transcript of which was reviewed by The Post.
Garland has repeatedly insisted to lawmakers – most recently Wednesday before the House Judiciary Committee – that Weiss, the US attorney for Delaware, has “full authority” to take the case against Hunter Biden wherever he wants and that Garland has not will personally intervene in the investigation. .
However, Batdorf told lawmakers during a transcribed interview on Sept. 12 that the Justice Department’s Tax Division would also have to sign off on any charges Weiss wants to pursue.
IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler have publicly detailed concerns about the Hunter Biden investigation.Getty Images
“[M]Your understanding is that DOJ Tax has to give permission first,” said the 22-year veteran of the tax collection agency. “So, I mean, my understanding is, I mean, he can’t do that [charging] decision without DOJ Tax authorization.”
Batdorf recalled attending a June 2022 meeting involving Weiss, IRS criminal investigators and FBI officials where DOJ Tax staff dismissed charges for the first son — at the same time they held a conference with Hunter Biden’s legal team.
When asked how many times the two sides met, Batdorf couldn’t remember specifically, but said there were “more than two” meetings and maybe as many as four.
IRS Director of Field Operations Michael Batdorf appears to deny claims that IRS whistleblowers were reassigned because of retaliation. CPA Academy
“Is it customary in tax investigations to meet with defense attorneys two, three, four times?” Batdorf was asked, and he replied: “No.”
Batdorf also said he signed a report recommending criminal and misdemeanor tax charges dating back to 2014 against Hunter, now 53 — including counts related to income from the first child’s position on the board of Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma Holdings.
That income was referenced in notes taken by IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley during the Oct. 7 meeting. 2022 in which he claims that Weiss disclosed that he was not “the officer who decides whether charges are filed.”
Republicans have emphasized that David Weiss assumed the role of US attorney for Delaware through the blue slip process under the Trump administration.AP
In the same meeting, Shapley said in an after-action report, investigators found that the younger Biden should not be indicted for alleged tax offenses committed in 2014 or 2015. In his report, Shapley said he disagreed with the decision not to indict, stating there were “a large amount of unreported income that year from Burisma that we have no mechanism to recover.”
Waldon, who also participated in the Oct. 7 meeting, received a copy of Shapley’s notes about Weiss by email four days ago and confirmed to Shapley that he had “wrapped it all up.”
Batdorf also testified that he had no reason to doubt Shapley’s note and that Waldon had not conveyed to him any doubts about it.
Republicans are seeking testimony from David Weiss later this year. Damian Giletto/Delaware News Journal via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Waldon, in his Sept. 8 interview with the committee, said he understood Shapley’s description of Weiss not being a “decision maker” to refer to the process of working with fellow US attorneys to bring the case against Hunter Biden in Southern California and Washington, DC — once again contrary to Garland’s testimony that “no one has the authority” to overrule Weiss if she wants to file charges there.
“Anytime a US attorney has to go to another district, there’s a process where they work together … they talk and decide whether they’re going to participate or not … I understand that they don’t want to work together on the case,” he said.
“There is a process that Mr. Weiss has to complete with the Department of Justice, and that is my basic understanding,” Waldon added later in the interview.
Both IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler have been reassigned from the Hunter Biden investigation amid tensions with David Weiss.Getty Images
Both IRS officials praised the whistleblower for his diligence as an investigator.
“Gary is a great agent. He’s a bulldog. He’s going to get to the bottom of it,” Batdorf said at one point in his interview.
Waldon, for his part, answered in the affirmative when asked to confirm that Shapley had received “the highest performance rating in recent years.”
Republicans have teased plans to finally name Hunter Biden.AFP via Getty Images
Still, both Batdorf and Waldon moved to remove Shapley from the case as friction grew between IRS investigators and Weiss over the lack of charges. The agency removed the entire investigative team from the Hunter Biden case in May of this year.
“I mean, the decision to remove Mr. Shapley was made by Darrell and I in December, when we knew there were potential issues,” Batdorf testified.
“Gary has a tendency to go to the extent of, like a grade seven fire, five alarms on everything” he added. “He has this mindset that if you don’t agree with him, I mean, you’re just incompetent.”
Congressional Republicans have been investigating the Biden family’s foreign business dealings. AFP via Getty Images
“Before I left the special agent in charge, in February, I recommended to Mr. Batdorf to have Gary Shapley removed as SSA from the Hunter Biden investigation, primarily due to what I consider baseless allegations of motive, intent, bias. ,” Waldon testified.
“And, again, my goal is to protect the integrity of the investigation and find a way forward.”
Waldon also recounted a conversation with Weiss who said “he will not be responding to Mr. Shapley’s emails again” because of “conflicts surrounding discovery.”
Hunter Biden has now pleaded not guilty to both firearms and tax fraud charges. AFP via Getty Images
“The US Attorney’s Office is no longer working or speaking with Mr. Shapley. And there’s no immediate — I don’t think it’s going to be resolved quickly. And to move the investigation forward, I’m recommending that, you know, he be removed,” Waldon said.
Batdorf told investigators that Weiss thought Shapley was too slow to turn over evidence for discovery purposes in the fall of 2022 — evidence that purportedly detailed Shapley’s issues with Weiss’ handling of the investigation.
“So, when Mr. Weiss sought discovery in mid-November, or late October, and then followed up in mid-November, he pressed for information from Mr. Shapley that included Mr. Shapley reporting about the concerns he had about Mr. Weiss’ conduct in this matter. . Is that fair?” Batdorf asked.
President Biden has vehemently denied interfering in the foreign business activities of his son, Hunter. AFP via Getty Images
“Yeah. If within that time period he asks, yes. Yes, it’s fair,” Batdorf answered.
Waldon also recounted that Shapley raised various concerns with him about the Biden investigation, but he declined to pass them on to the Treasury Department’s inspector general’s office because “I don’t see any supporting evidence.”
The House Judiciary Committee has issued separate subpoenas for testimony from Waldon, Batdorf and Baltimore FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryeshia Holley — all of whom were present at the October 7, 2022 meeting.
Additionally, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) wants to hear testimony from Weiss next month.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
