Rep. Jason Smith says Hunter’s lawyer is trying to “chill investigation” and intimidate whistleblower
Hunter Biden’s attorney on Friday accused House Republicans of undermining the law and engaging in a misinformation campaign to harm Hunter Biden and attack his father, President Joe Biden.
In a 10-page letter addressed to Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, Hunter Biden attorney Abbe Lowell also alleged that Smith had manipulated screenshots of WhatsApp messages to “feed the misinformation campaign” and damage Hunter Biden’s reputation, “as a vehicle to attack his father.”
Responding to the letter, Smith framed Lowell’s complaint as an effort to obstruct their investigation and discredit the whistleblowers who had alleged misconduct and preferential treatment for Biden’s son.
Lowell’s letter addressed Smith’s release of transcripts from interviews with two IRS agents who claimed the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) investigation into Hunter Biden was mishandled. He also claimed that Smith doctored an alleged WhatsApp message which indicated that Hunter had allegedly used his father’s influence in a business deal with a Chinese energy company.
Smith released the transcripts days after Hunter Biden agreed to a plea deal for tax-related misdemeanors and a pretrial diversion agreement to avoid prosecution on a felony gun-related charge—a move that angered Republicans who’ve accused the DOJ of mishandling the investigation.
In his letter, Lowell described IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley as “disgruntled,” and suggested that he may be claiming that title in an attempt to “evade” misconduct, implying that Shapley was the source of leaks to the press about the Justice Department’s investigation into Hunter Biden.
“Mr. Shapley may be reaping the ‘reward’ from the cover you have given him, considering the penalties for agents illegally leaking this type of information,” Lowell wrote (pdf).
Attempt to ‘Chill Our Investigation’: Smith
Smith hit back at the letter, portraying Lowell’s complaint as an attempt to obstruct their investigation, discredit Shapley, and mislead the public.
