Hunter Biden investigation: Merrick Garland revealed as ‘senior’ official in whistleblower claim

The Washington Examiner has learned that Attorney General Merrick Garland is the unnamed “senior political appointee” whose sworn testimony is being challenged by a career IRS criminal supervisory special agent, according to a letter sent to Congress by the whistleblower’s lawyer.

A source familiar with the whistleblower letter confirmed to the Washington Examiner on Thursday that Garland is the unnamed senior Biden official whose testimony before Congress is being challenged.

HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATION INFECTED BY ‘POLITICS’ AND ‘PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT’: IRS WHISTLEBLOWER

A lawyer for the whistleblower, Mark Lytle, sent the letter to multiple Senate and House committee heads. It said Lytle’s client claimed to be a career IRS criminal supervisory special agent who has been overseeing “the ongoing and sensitive investigation” of a “high-profile” and “controversial subject” since early 2020.

The Washington Examiner previously reported that the investigation involves the son of President Joe Biden, Hunter Biden.

The letter said Lytle’s client claimed he had “examples of preferential treatment and politics improperly infecting decisions and protocols that would normally be followed by career law enforcement professionals in similar circumstances if the subject were not politically connected.”

The whistleblower’s claims also “contradict sworn testimony to Congress by a senior political appointee,” according to the letter. Garland is the appointee mentioned, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Garland insisted to Congress in March that the investigation was free from political interference and said the attorney in charge had full autonomy.

Garland was pressed on whether U.S. Attorney David Weiss, the attorney investigating Hunter Biden, would need external approval to bring charges in the situation.

“The U.S. attorney has been advised that he has full authority to make kind of those referrals you’re talking about or to bring cases in other jurisdictions if he feels it is necessary, and I will assure that if he does, then he will be able to do that,” Garland said in response.

“He has been advised that he should get anything he needs. … I have not heard anything from that office that suggests they are not able to do anything that the U.S. attorney wants them to do,” Garland continued.

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The White House addressed the claims Thursday. It dismissed the allegations that the investigation had been infected with politics.

“Since he took office and consistent with his campaign promise that he would restore the independence of the Justice Department when it comes to decision-making in criminal investigations, President Biden has made clear that this matter would be handled independently by the Justice Department, under the leadership of a U.S. attorney appointed by former President Trump, free from any political interference by the White House. He has upheld that commitment,” White House spokesman Ian Sams said.