Congressional leaders have been notified by legal counsel for a whistleblower from the IRS, who asserts that potential mismanagement of the ongoing investigation into Hunter Biden - the son of President Joe Biden - may be occurring within the current administration. The whistleblower and their entire team have reportedly been taken off the case.
An undisclosed letter, now in the hands of key congressional figures, was sent by the legal team of the whistleblower on Monday. The letter informed both Republican and Democratic House and Senate Committee heads that their client and the entire team assigned to the investigation were no longer part of the probe.
The legal representatives stated in the letter that the whistleblower was informed that this decision came directly from the Department of Justice. The letter alleges that this move may be seen as retaliatory and potentially obstructive to a congressional inquiry.
The Department of Justice refrained from commenting on the matter in a statement to ABC News. They redirected any questions regarding the Hunter Biden investigation to U.S. Attorney David Weiss, who is currently in charge of the inquiry. Weiss, who has the authority to make investigative decisions and to bring charges as he sees fit in any jurisdiction, was unavailable for immediate comment.
The whistleblower's legal counsel had previously revealed to ABC News that their client, an IRS criminal supervisory special agent, has been supervising a sensitive, ongoing investigation into a high-profile, contentious subject since early 2020. They expressed a desire to make protected disclosures to Congress as a whistleblower.
The letter circulated among lawmakers does not directly mention Hunter Biden. However, it is understood that he is the "high-profile, controversial" subject to which the letter refers.
The letter makes allusions to preferential treatment allegedly given to Hunter Biden, but does not substantiate these allegations with specific examples.
Since 2018, the inquiry into Hunter Biden and his tax affairs has been led by Weiss, an appointee from the Trump administration.
