House Republicans subpoena IRS, FBI agents involved in Hunter Biden investigation

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The House Judiciary and Ways and Means committees issued subpoenas Monday to several FBI and IRS agents who were believed to be involved in the investigation into President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden. 

Leaders of the House Judiciary and Ways and Means committees demanded testimony from four agents who worked on the yearslong Justice Department case into President Joe Biden's youngest son and his tax and business dealings. 

In a joint statement, Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Jason Smith of Missouri accused the Biden administration of having "consistently stonewalled Congress" on the investigation into the president’s son.

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President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden leaves after a court appearance, Wednesday, July 26, 2023, in Wilmington, Del. House Republicans on Monday, Aug. 21, subpoenaed several FBI and IRS agents involved in the federal investigation into Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden as the party weighs whether to open an impeachment inquiry into the president this fall. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

"Our duty is to follow the facts wherever they may lead, and our subpoenas compelling testimony from Biden administration officials are crucial to understanding how the president's son received special treatment from federal prosecutors and who was the ultimate decision maker in the case," the House Republican leaders said.  

"Americans deserve to know the truth, especially now that Attorney General Garland has appointed as special counsel the same U.S. Attorney who oversaw Hunter Biden’s sweetheart plea deal and botched the investigation into his alleged tax crimes." 

Both men, along with Oversight Chairman James Comer, joined forces in June to open an investigation into what they have claimed is widespread, improper interference in the high-profile case.

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Per sworn whistleblower testimony, U.S. attorney for Delaware, David Weiss, who was in charge of the Hunter Biden case, stated during an Oct. 7, 2022 meeting with DOJ and IRS personnel that "he is not the deciding person on whether charges are filed" against the younger Biden. 

He also alleged to have stated in multiple instances, his efforts to bring charges in multiple jurisdictions were denied. That's according to Gary Shapley, an IRS employee who was in the room, but both Weiss and the Justice Department have denied Shapley's account.

FILE: House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., left, and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., make opening statements during a hearing at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Shapley and another IRS employee, Joe Ziegler, have testified to Congress that there was a pattern of "slow-walking investigative steps" and delaying enforcement actions in the Hunter Biden case, including during the Trump administration, in the months before the 2020 election.

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The subpoena letters were sent Monday to the following individuals: IRS Director of Field Operations Michael T. Batdorf, IRS Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon, FBI Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski, and FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge. 

The subpoena letters say these individuals have "been identified as someone who has direct knowledge" of the October meeting.

A courtroom sketch depicting Hunter Biden in a federal courtroom in Wilmington, Delaware on July 26, 2023. (COURTESY: William J. Hennessy, Jr.)

Neither the IRS nor Hunter Biden’s legal team responded to requests for comment. The FBI declined to comment. 

Monday’s subpoena comes just over a week after Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Weiss as special counsel in the Hunter Biden probe, a move that surprised many, including House Republicans who had been pushing for the designation.

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In his Aug. 11 remarks, Garland noted the "extraordinary circumstances" of naming Weiss as special counsel after plea deal talks in the case broke down earlier this summer. Weiss had asked to be named special counsel, gaining broad authority to investigate and report out his findings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.