IRS whistleblowers concerning the investigation of Hunter Biden

Another late posting, written sometime in 2024.

The GOP overreaches so often when it comes to allegations that I was surprised to find that this is fairly solid. The IRS had been investigating Hunter Biden for false income tax filings, underreporting earnings, and not filing for a couple years. It seems like the investigations covered years 2014-2019, and a lot of info was dug up. The investigators wanted to execute search warrants on Hunter's places of residence, which at that time happened to be Joe Biden's guest house. This was spring/summer of 2020, and Joe Biden was on his way to being Democratic nominee for president. That gummed up the works because raiding his guest house during the election campaignis kind of dicey. 

The IRS special agent in charge on the investigation eventually blew the whistle, and it got picked up by GOP leaders in the House after they regained a House majority and could run investigations that way they wanted to. 

It was funny finding out that there is good information on this, in the form of transcripts of testimony. This includes the main whistleblower Gary Shapley. Also a short, dry statement from him, and testimony from others who worked with him. 

From what I read, Shapley has good reason to be angry that the investigations were stymied. He lays out the investigative steps, what typically happens and what was atypical. I learned that the quotes about a WhatsApp message from Hunter to a Chinese investor telling him to come through on his commitment is real, not a figment or questionable. 

It's not all terrible for the Bidens though. Walker, Hunter's business partner, says that Joe Biden wasn't involved in the business deals, but may want to get involved in the future. 

With so many allegations against Hunter Biden and the big prize, allegations against Joe Biden, falling apart, it was strange to find something that was holding together very well. 

Loan repayment check of $200,000 from Biden's brother.

Extras. Matt Gaetz spewing allegations at FBI head Christopher Wray, including about the WhatsApp message. 

Memos on payments to the Bidens. Memo 1 Memo 2. Politico article on Hunter and James business interests. The infamous Form 1023 about bombshell bribery allegations that fizzled. Transcript of Hunter's business partner Devon Archer's testimony. Memo 3 containing transfers to the shell companies and payment for a sports car for Hunter. GET LINK OF PAYMENTS FROM THE BROTHER. Payment from Hunter's company to Joe Biden, $1380 monthly. 

Notes from the State Department showing that Biden was following State Department instructions when he issued ultimatum to Ukraine. 

Hunter did actually handle some investment funds. It wasn't just bribes, but actual investments. That doesn't get much mention, but here is a rare discussion of it. 

Parking this here. A pdf of Ashley Biden's diary. Revealing but also lots of lies told about it. Yes, Joe showered with her when she was young. She didn't mention ages. 

Also parking this. A memo from the House Judiciary Committee complaining that the FBI wouldn't authenticate the Hunter Biden laptop story. The problem is that the FBI had the laptop, but the news stories were about an unauthenticated copy of the hard drive. Why would the FBI credit an unauthenticated copy? 

Fake polling to fuel a talking point

Talking point creation is an industry. No doubt some are paid very well for it. So here's one: Twitter closed down discussion of Hunter Biden's laptop for a week before the 2020 election. It probably wasn't a full lockdown because that would be very hard to do, but the New York Post twitter account was suspended. 

So how much effect could that blackout have? The conservatives have been trying to supersize the effect and actually did some polling to check on it, or to manufacture the data they wanted. 

Here is typical conservative reporting on the poll: 

WaPo reporting on the wording of the poll question. Wow. 

"According to our poll," the organization wrote a few weeks after Trump lost, "full awareness of the Hunter Biden scandal would have led 9.4% of Biden voters to abandon the Democratic candidate, flipping all six of the swing states he won to Trump, giving the President 311 electoral votes."

This is the poll question. Look at how stilted it was:

"At the time you cast your vote for president, were you aware that evidence exists, including bank transactions the FBI is currently investigating, that directly links Joe Biden and his family to a corrupt financial arrangement between a Chinese company with connections to the Chinese Communist Party that was secretly intended to provide the Biden family with tens of millions of dollars in profits?"

So this is more talking point manufacturing. The electorate already knew Hunter was a crackhead and had a cushy job that paid too well. We in the electorate didn't really care. No candidate is perfect--not even close. 

Image: Daily Mail

Extras. Politifact, if it helps any. NBC news from 10/30/20. I guess there was some coverage in MSM.