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Discussion » Questions » Current Events and News » DoJ just "removed" an IRS whistle-blower and his entire team investigating Hunter Biden. What will come of it?
my2cents

DoJ just "removed" an IRS whistle-blower and his entire team investigating Hunter Biden. What will come of it?

Letter to various committees from the whistle-blower attorney:

Dear Chairs and Ranking Members:
Today the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Supervisory Special Agent we represent was informed that he and his entire investigative team are being removed from the ongoing and sensitive investigation of the high-profile, controversial subject about which our client sought to make whistleblower disclosures to Congress. He was informed the change was at the request of the Department of Justice.

On April 27, 2023, IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel appeared before the House Committee on Ways and Means. He testified: “I can say without any hesitation there will be no retaliation for anyone making an allegation or a call to a whistleblower hotline.” However, this move is clearly retaliatory and may also constitute obstruction of a congressional inquiry.

Our client has a right to make disclosures to Congress pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 6103(f)(5) and 5U.S.C. § 7211. He is protected by 5 U.S.C. § 2302 from retaliatory personnel actions—including receiving a “significant change in duties, responsibilities, or working conditions”1 (which this clearly is) because of his disclosures to Congress.2 Any attempt by any government official to prevent a federal employee from furnishing information to Congress is also a direct violation of longstanding appropriations restriction.3 Furthermore, 18 U.S.C. § 1505 makes it a crime to obstruct an investigation of Congress.

We respectfully request that you give this matter your prompt attention. Removing the experienced investigators who have worked this case for years and are now the subject-matter experts is exactly the sort of issue our client intended to blow the whistle on to begin with.

Cordially, Tristan Leavitt
President Empower Oversight

Mark D. Lytle
Partner Nixon Peabody LLP

The letter was addressed to:

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) Chairman, Committee on Finance, Co-Chair, Whistleblower Protection Caucus
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) Ranking Member, Committee on Finance

Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) Chairman, Committee on Ways & Means
Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) Ranking Member, Committee on Ways & Means

Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Ranking Member, Committee on the Judiciary

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) Ranking Member, Committee on the Judiciary

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) Co-Chair, Whistleblower Protection Caucus
Member, Committee on Finance

investigators


Does this compare to Nixon's Saturday night massacre? 

Posted - May 16, 2023
Tags : None

Responses


  • 3827
    It doesn't appear that this team was fired from the IRS - they were removed from the Biden investigation.  "his entire investigative team are being removed from the ongoing and sensitive investigation of the high-profile, controversial subject about which our client sought to make whistleblower disclosures to Congress."

    But do make it sound like they were all fired from their jobs because that makes it seem more dramatic.
      May 16, 2023 11:40 AM MDT
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  • 34440
    They were fired from their investigation. 

    Imagine what would have happened if Bill Barr had Muellers helpers removed from the investigation but they still had the their jobs at the FBI?  That would certainly not go over very well. 

    It is in violation of whistle-blower protections....but I guess that is not bad enough.

    ***I did change the word "fired" to "removed" This post was edited by my2cents at May 16, 2023 12:18 PM MDT
      May 16, 2023 11:53 AM MDT
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  • 3827
    "Mueller's Investigation uncovered extensive criminal activity.
    The investigation produced 37 indictments; seven guilty pleas or convictions; and compelling evidence that the president obstructed justice on multiple occasions. Mueller also uncovered and referred 14 criminal matters to other components of the Department of Justice."

    https://www.acslaw.org/projects/the-presidential-investigation-education-project/other-resources/key-findings-of-the-mueller-report/

    After two years of investigating, no one has been indicted and no charges are pending.

      May 16, 2023 12:26 PM MDT
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  • 34440
    I guess you have not seen the Durham report....Biased FBI never had the information to run with the Russia/Trump collision because the information was tainted political  garbage.  

    NO one was convicted of Russian collusion.   Mandafort was taxes, Cohen was also taxes, Stone was lying to FBI and/or Congress.....most were process crimes from the investigation. This post was edited by my2cents at May 16, 2023 1:19 PM MDT
      May 16, 2023 1:03 PM MDT
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  • 844
    "The whistleblower’s team added: “We respectfully request that you give this matter your prompt attention. Removing the experienced investigators who have worked this case for years..."

    Um, how many more years do you need??
      May 16, 2023 12:32 PM MDT
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  • 3827
    Exactly - especially since they came up with nothing.  
      May 16, 2023 12:34 PM MDT
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  • 34440
    Depends on how complicated the web of money trails are with the Biden Crime Family and how much interference Biden in Co have been playing.  

    Mueller took 3+ years and not nothing but taxes and process crimes....
      May 16, 2023 1:06 PM MDT
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  • 844
    Nope!
      May 16, 2023 1:14 PM MDT
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  • 34440
    Yes, those are the facts, ma'am.
      May 16, 2023 1:18 PM MDT
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  • 844
    Nope! Those are the facts in your world. Keep the light burnin'!
      May 16, 2023 1:20 PM MDT
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  • 34440
    So, you think,  it is ok for the Biden's DoJ to have the investigators removed from an active investigation into his son?  Why is it OK?  They did not say it was being closed nor that it was wrong or wrong actions taken.
      May 16, 2023 1:24 PM MDT
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  • 844
    I'm sorry, I won't speak about something that I haven't studied sufficiently.  This post was edited by NYAD at May 16, 2023 2:27 PM MDT
      May 16, 2023 1:33 PM MDT
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  • 34440
    Then why are you on a question about it?  So you have no opinion as to the removal of people investigating Joe Biden's son? This is not the first time either....Joe is on video bragging about getting a prosecutor fired in Ukraine  who was investigating his son. 
    "I told them you either fire him or you don't get the money'...."Well, s-o-b, he got fired." 
      May 16, 2023 3:22 PM MDT
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  • 11092
    This is hardly the most pressing issue we face. If you want to get your undies in bunch over something, try this:

      May 16, 2023 4:49 PM MDT
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  • 34440
    Feel free to post your own question about it. 

    This question is about Biden's DoJ retaliatory actions towards a whistle-blower.  
      May 16, 2023 5:10 PM MDT
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  • 16829
    The NRA is a terrorist organisation and should be recognised as such.
      May 16, 2023 6:19 PM MDT
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  • 34440
    Again not the topic here....post one...you know I will show up for it. 
    Topic for my question is Biden DoJ retaliating against a whistle-blower.  
      May 16, 2023 8:38 PM MDT
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  • 16829
    How does this differ from Trump's firing of Comey and the AG?

    Oh, that's right, they were investigating him personally, not any of his pestilential brood. And the DoJ hasn't actually fired anybody.
      May 16, 2023 6:35 PM MDT
    1

  • 34440
    I guess you forgot, the Dems wanted Comey fired as well...
    He helped Trump win. Trump waited and referred to the recommendation of firing from the AG Sessions. 
    Sessions should never have took the AG job....he removed himself from everything right from the start. 

    Acting AG Yates?  She was fired because she refused to follow a Trump executive order on immigration.  

    DoJ requested the removal of the IRS investigators.....same thing as DoJ doing it themselves.  Same as in Ukraine....Biden did not fire the prosecutor there either..."but, s-o-b they fired him."
      May 16, 2023 8:36 PM MDT
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