After IRS whistleblowers allegedly retaliated against their disclosures about the Hunter Biden investigation, an IRS official notified other employees of their rights.
Doug O’Donnell, IRS deputy commissioner for operations and management, told staff that the “IRS is deeply committed to protecting the rights of prosecutors,” according to an email the Republican lawmakers wrote.
An email to employees, informing them of their rights under the law, states that employees can disclose to supervisors, IRS inspectors, the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Justice, or the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
But House and Senate Republicans say the message “fails to clearly state that IRS employees have the right to report to Congress,” in calling the Office of Special Counsel to investigate the matter.
Federal law 26 USC § 6103(f)(5), the anti-gag statute, prohibits government funds, the use of tax dollars, or nondisclosure agreements to prevent protected disclosures.
IRS Special Agent Gary Shapley, a 14-year veteran of the IRS, and whistleblower, anonymously, he told the House Ways and Means Committee that the investigation of President Joe Biden’s son has been suspended and that other charges have not been filed.
“The need to protect accused persons from unlawful retaliation and to inform whistleblowers of their rights under the law cannot be ignored. After all, it is the law,” said a letter from two members of the Senate committee and three chairmen of the House committee to US special counsel Henry Kerner.
“Consequently, we request that you immediately investigate all allegations of restitution against the accused IRS and all violations related to the failure of the IRS to include the prohibition of violations as required by law,” continues the letter, signed by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R. -Iowa, member of the Senate Finance Committee; and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
The letter was also signed by House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio; House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer, R-Ky.; and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo. They asked the Office of the Special Counsel to brief them on July 19.
“Furthermore, we urge you to provide appropriate punishment for all those who have violated whistleblower laws,” the GOP lawmakers said. “The DOJ and the IRS should be held accountable for all the evasion and malfeasance cases, and government agencies cannot hide their actions because of unclear instructions and related documents.”
The Office of Special Counsel is an independent agency that serves as the federal government’s watchdog on matters such as the protection of individuals who threaten and prevent election-related activities on time or government property under the Hatch Act. It should not be confused with the title “special counsel” given to independent public prosecutors.
Office of Special Counsel spokesman Zachary Kurz he told The Daily Signal in the email, “I can confirm that I received the letter. We are in the process of reviewing it.”
After the initial disclosure in May, IRS whistleblowers informed members of Congress — as well as the Office of Special Counsel and IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel — that The IRS has been removed He removed them from the Biden investigation, passed them on for proper promotions, and removed them from the jobs they held.
In late June, the Department of Justice arrived successfully sorry deal and Hunter Biden, in which he will be charged with two counts of tax evasion, and the state will accept two years of probation for lying on a gun purchase form.
However, prosecutors said the Justice Department refused to investigate other matters, including potential evidence. lead back to Joe Biden.
So said the US Attorney David Weiss of Delaware was denied when he requested a special counsel to be able to prosecute in the District of Columbia and California – where the state attorneys general appointed by Biden refused to prosecute.
The IRS did not immediately respond to questions for this story.
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