The attorney for Gary Shapley, a whistleblower who testified about the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) handling of Hunter Biden’s investigation, said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland essentially called his client a “liar.”
Shapley sent out an email in October 2022 alleging that now-special counsel David Weiss allegedly told a group of law enforcement officials he did not have ultimate authority to charge Hunter. Shapley and another Internal Revenue Service (IRS) whistleblower alleged the DOJ slow-walked the investigation into Hunter’s alleged tax crimes under Weiss’ leadership. Garland appointed Weiss to be the special counsel in the ongoing investigation into the first son.
Shapley’s attorney, Tristan Leavitt, alleged Garland assured Weiss had full authority into the investigation and prosecution of President Joe Biden’s son.
“Well at this stage, Attorney General Garland has essentially called supervisory special agent Shapley a liar,” Leavitt said during a Thursday interview on Fox News. “Not those words, but in essence saying that Weiss has always had this authority, and Weiss has sent nuanced letters, but trying to follow the lead of the attorney general.”
Garland is scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on September 20. He will testify regarding the two IRS whistleblowers’ testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee in May and June. The whistleblowers alleged Garland and IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel lied to Congress about political interference in the Hunter Biden probe. (RELATED: Joe Biden Asked About Special Counsel Appointment In Hunter Biden Case)
“And so, what happens when the attorney general comes forward as he needs to answer for these specific questions like ‘were these charges for Hunter Biden for 2014, 2015 ever presented in the District of Columbia and if so, why did the statute of limitations ultimately, why was it allowed to expire on those? Were charges presented in the central district of California, and did David Weiss have this conversation with agents as Gary Shapley has alleged?'” Leavitt continued.
“Those, and then these other further questions about main justices’ involvement in the case are all really important areas for Congress to probe, and right now, Garland has put himself in the unenviable position of making a lot of representations that have one-by-one proven not to be fully accurate,” he added.
House Republicans in the Judiciary, Oversight and Ways and Means Committee issued subpoenas Aug. 21 to two IRS officials and FBI agents regarding Shapley’s meeting in October where Weiss allegedly said he did not have the ultimate authority over charging Hunter. Shapley testified that U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves allegedly blocked Weiss from charging Hunter for failing to pay his taxes.
Shapley also told Fox News in a Tuesday interview that “key witnesses” were prevented from testifying against Hunter regarding the DOJ’s investigation into his taxes and alleged illegal gun purchase.