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From ABC News: The Treasury Department has promoted two IRS whistleblowers who accused the Justice Department under President Joe Biden of granting his son, Hunter Biden, special treatment during a yearslong probe into his tax affairs.
Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, two veteran IRS investigators, will serve as senior advisors to incoming Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said in a statement on Tuesday that he was “pleased to welcome Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler to the Treasury Department, where they will help us drive much-needed cultural reform within the IRS.”
Shapley and Ziegler came forward in 2023 with allegations that the Biden administration improperly interfered in an investigation into Hunter Biden’s unpaid taxes led by then-U.S. Attorney for Delaware David Weiss — claims that Justice Department and FBI officials fiercely disputed at the time.
“It appeared to me, based on what I experienced, that the U.S. Attorney in Delaware in our investigation was constantly hamstrung, limited and marginalized by DOJ officials,” Ziegler said during congressional testimony in July 2023.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Tuesday, “I am pleased to welcome Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler to the @USTreasury Department, where they will help us drive much-needed cultural reform within the IRS. These veteran civil servants join us to help further the agency’s focus on collections, modernization, and customer service. I appreciate Sen. @ChuckGrassley’s efforts in Congress to support whistleblower protections in order to improve transparency, accountability and root out the culture of retaliation.”
I am pleased to welcome Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler to the @USTreasury Department, where they will help us drive much-needed cultural reform within the IRS. These veteran civil servants join us to help further the agency’s focus on collections, modernization, and customer…
— Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) March 18, 2025
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) reacted, writing, “HOORAY/JUSTICE FOR GARY SHAPLEY & JOE ZIEGLER who blew the whistle on Hunter Biden tax case at IRS & were retaliated against. [Today they are] PROMOTED to leadership roles at Treasury.
“Pres Trump & Scty Bessent action send a clear signal that pointing out wrongdoing is an honorable thing [to do].”
HOORAY/JUSTICE FOR GARY SHAPLEY & JOE ZIEGLER who blew the whistle on Hunter Biden tax case at IRS &were retaliated against 2day r PROMOTED to leadership roles at Treasury
Pres Trump& Scty Bessent action send a clear signal that pointing out wrongdoing is an honorable thing 2do
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) March 18, 2025
WATCH the interview with Bessent below, as he explains, “I decided I would bring them into Treasury, give them a year to investigate the wrongdoing that is going on at the IRS.”
NEW: Hunter Biden IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joe Ziegler have been promoted to leadership positions at the Treasury Department.@SecScottBessent: “I decided I would bring them into Treasury, give them a year to investigate the wrongdoing that is going on at the IRS.”… pic.twitter.com/WWsuLBPm2z
— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) March 18, 2025
Journalist Catherine Herridge had conducted an interview with Shapley and Ziegler back in October.
IRS whistleblowers allege the agency retaliated against them after they came forward in the Hunter Biden case.
“I’m not a wealthy person. I’m just like anyone out there. I live paycheck to paycheck. I’m surviving as best as I can, and it’s tough. I’m up against a machine that… https://t.co/3jowOAy1vd pic.twitter.com/06DKhudcly
— Catherine Herridge (@C__Herridge) October 30, 2024
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