IRS Official’s Congratulatory Email to Hunter Biden Investigators Leaves Whistleblowers ‘Shocked’

IRS agents Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, who blew the whistle on the apparent mishandling of the Hunter Biden investigation, expressed shock over a congratulatory email they received from a superior after Hunter Biden’s plea deal. This email, recently uncovered by journalist Catherine Herridge, raised questions about the IRS’s approach to a probe that many believe was deliberately slowed down to protect the president’s son.

The email, sent shortly after Hunter Biden’s guilty plea on federal tax charges, thanked the team for its “efforts in the investigation and conviction” of the high-profile case, recognizing their “significant sacrifices and dedication” and stating the case ended in a “great conviction.” Shapley and Ziegler, however, found this congratulatory tone bizarre and out of place, given the limited results of the investigation.

“I honestly couldn’t believe that it happened,” Ziegler told Herridge, recalling his immediate reaction upon receiving the email. “The first person I called was Gary, and I’m like, ‘Can you believe that this was sent?’”

Shapley shared similar disbelief, telling Herridge, “Those are words that are not supported by the actions of the agency.” Shapley criticized the email as mere posturing, suggesting it was intended to create a positive paper trail. “This, to me, was someone who knows that [an] IRS watchdog is looking into how they handled this,” he explained, calling it “an example of just covering their backside like a true bureaucracy.”

Their skepticism isn’t without reason. Shapley and Ziegler say their attempts to pursue a thorough investigation into Hunter Biden’s finances were obstructed, with officials allegedly delaying necessary steps and blocking access to evidence. Ziegler, highlighting the risks they face as whistleblowers, described his fight as “up against a machine that has millions of dollars…that has the ability to fight me and to really wear you down.”

The email was received as the IRS faces increasing scrutiny regarding how it handled the Hunter Biden case, which led to Hunter’s guilty plea in California for tax charges and his conviction in a drug case in Delaware. The plea followed what critics called a “sweetheart deal” initially brokered by special counsel David Weiss, which ultimately collapsed amid public criticism and further investigation. Shapley, Ziegler, and others have argued the IRS’s approach was influenced by political pressures that led to favorable treatment for Hunter Biden.

Shapley and Ziegler have since filed a defamation lawsuit against Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, arguing they adhered to legal procedures for whistleblowers. Yet, both agents claim that their careers have suffered significantly as a result. Shapley said bluntly, “My career is over,” while Ziegler voiced frustration at the prolonged struggle.

The email, instead of recognition, came across to Shapley and Ziegler as an empty gesture from a bureaucracy looking to save face. They maintain that without significant reform and accountability, the systemic problems they witnessed in this investigation will persist.

Want more insights? Share this article and subscribe to our newsletter.