Lindsey Graham calls for special counsel to replace Weiss team after failed Hunter Biden plea deal
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC., tells 'Hannity' there's no way to repair the damage done after the collapsed Hunter Biden plea agreement as the House mulls impeachment inquiry of President Biden.
IRS whistleblower Joseph Ziegler called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to "appoint a special counsel" to look into the Hunter Biden’s case in a Wall Street Journal op-ed published, Thursday.
"Justice officials prevented investigators from following the evidence. Appointing a special counsel would create a path for the investigation to continue with integrity. I hope transparency will restore public confidence in the idea that every U.S. taxpayer receives equal treatment under the law," Ziegler wrote.
"Sweetheart deals shouldn’t be handed out like candy to the rich, powerful and politically connected."
IRS whistleblower Joseph Ziegler called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to "appoint a special counsel" to look into the Hunter Biden’s case in a Wall Street Journal op-ed published, Thursday. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images (LEFT) // Kevin Lamarque/Reuters (RIGHT))
Ziegler, who previously was identified as "Whistleblower X," first revealed his identity to the public when he testified in front of the House Oversight committee on July 19. Ziegler said he is a 13-year special agent within the IRS’ Criminal Investigation Division and described himself as a "gay Democrat married to a man."
He testified that Hunter Biden "should have been charged with a tax felony, and not only the tax misdemeanor charge," and that communications and text messages reviewed by investigators "may be a contradiction to what President Biden was saying about not being involved in Hunter’s overseas business dealings."
Ziegler explained his motivation for revealing details of the Hunter Biden investigation to the public in the op-ed.
"I came forward because in my opinion, Hunter Biden received preferential treatment. Although some in Congress tried to explain away my concerns, what I saw during the investigation was entirely outside the norm."
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Ziegler argued in his op-ed that he has disagreed with prosecutors throughout his career in the IRS, but the Hunter Biden case was the first time that he felt "handcuffed" by the Justice Department. (COURTESY: William J. Hennessy, Jr.)
Multiple Democrats in Congress and the White House have disputed testimony from Ziegler and another whistleblower, IRS supervisor Gary Shapley. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., accused "MAGA Republicans" of taking the side of "IRS agents from the deep state against a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney and a rich guy exercising his Second Amendment rights but now facing criminal gun charges and tax charges that they would call in any other circumstance purely technical."
The White House also laid into Republicans for the investigation into Hunter Biden. "Despite years of obsession and countless wasted taxpayer dollars on a wild goose chase, the House GOP hasn't offered a single credible piece of evidence of wrongdoing by the President," White House spokesman for oversight and investigations Ian Sams tweeted Wednesday. "This waste of time reflects the extraordinarily misplaced priorities of House Rs."
Ziegler argued in his op-ed that he has disagreed with prosecutors throughout his career in the IRS, but the Hunter Biden case was the first time that he felt "handcuffed" by the Justice Department.
"I have disagreed with prosecutors in the past. In some cases I didn’t get my way. But those disagreements always followed the normal investigative process. I was always allowed to follow concrete evidence and investigate a case without being handcuffed or slow walked by the Justice Department."
He later added: "I would characterize the Justice Department’s behavior as obstruction."
The Justice Department has denied the investigation has been unduly influenced in any way. U.S. Attorney David Weiss of Delaware, who is in charge of the probe, has said the investigation is "ongoing."
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Fox News’ Brooke Singman and Jessica Chasmar contributed to this report.
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