Politics
JUST IN: Catherine Herridge Drops Major Report Shattering Democrats’ 2020 Laptop Narrative
IRS whistleblowers have come forward with claims that key government agencies, including the IRS, DOJ, and FBI, were aware that Hunter Biden’s infamous laptop was genuine. The new report from former CBS News’ Catherine Herridge suggests that federal officials avoided investigating potential ties to then-candidate Joe Biden before the 2020 election.
According to Herridge’s investigation, IRS agents working on the Hunter Biden tax case alleged that prosecutors instructed them not to pursue any lines of questioning that could implicate Joe Biden, referred to as “The Big Guy” in various communications. One agent, Gary Shapley, confirmed that “The Big Guy” was indeed Joe Biden, adding that investigators faced restrictions on overt investigative steps as the election drew near.
Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, both IRS special agents, revealed during interviews that there was significant suppression of their investigative efforts. “There were a lot of overt investigative steps that we were not allowed to take because we had an upcoming election,” Ziegler said, explaining that the Biden campaign’s influence over investigative protocols was evident throughout their work.
The whistleblowers further disclosed that while the FBI, DOJ, and IRS knew the laptop was authentic as early as late 2019, internal efforts to investigate were thwarted. In one instance, agents were explicitly told not to ask questions about Joe Biden, despite clear evidence suggesting his involvement in Hunter Biden’s business dealings. Shapley remarked, “the prosecutors specifically told us that they didn’t want to ask about the big guy because they knew it was Joe Biden.”
One of the most controversial aspects of the whistleblowers’ account is the claim that the Hunter Biden laptop was wrongly labeled as potential “Russian disinformation” in October 2020, just weeks before the presidential election. This characterization was supported by 51 former intelligence officials, despite evidence within government agencies confirming its authenticity. Herridge’s report indicates that this disinformation narrative was used to protect Joe Biden’s candidacy, leading to accusations of election interference.
WATCH:
BREAKING: IRS Whistleblowers Involved in Hunter Biden Tax Case Reveal IRS, DOJ, and FBI Knew Laptop “Was Real” Immediately; Claim Prosecutors Demanded They Not Ask Questions About Joe Biden Ahead of 2020 Election
“There were a lot of overt investigative steps that we were not… pic.twitter.com/WKyS8Pi5pj
— Catherine Herridge (@C__Herridge) October 29, 2024
Antony Blinken, then an advisor to the Biden campaign, reportedly played a significant role in discrediting the laptop story. Congressional testimony cited by Herridge alleges that Blinken initiated efforts to cast doubt on the laptop, culminating in a coordinated effort to downplay its significance and shield Joe Biden from potential fallout.
The whistleblowers claim the Biden administration’s Justice Department displayed a double standard when pursuing investigations involving politically connected individuals. They compared the restrictions on the Hunter Biden investigation to the aggressive approach taken by Special Counsel Jack Smith against Donald Trump, which occurred just weeks before the 2024 election. The agents argue that had the names been reversed, such as a Trump family member being investigated, the response would have been vastly different.
Ziegler noted that Hunter Biden’s plea deal in September for felony and misdemeanor tax charges was a moment of vindication for him and Shapley. However, both agents allege that their professional careers have suffered as a result of their whistleblower status. “The IRS has put a smothering blanket on me, hoping that I quit, that they find some way to terminate me or commit suicide or something” Shapley said.
Republicans have long contended that the laptop contained damning evidence about Hunter Biden’s overseas business deals and the Biden family’s potential financial benefits from these arrangements.
As Shapley and Ziegler continue their legal battles against the IRS, they insist that their motivations were rooted in ensuring fair and unbiased law enforcement. “This whole thing was about enriching the Biden family through access to an administration,” Ziegler said, adding that emails and documents reviewed during their investigation painted a clear picture of how foreign entities could gain influence by paying members of the Biden family.
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