The U.S. Department of Justice directed FBI and IRS investigators involved in the Hunter Biden probe to “expunge any reference” to President Biden in a search warrant connected to a Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) investigation, according to newly released documents by the House Ways & Means Committee.
Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., spearheaded the release of documents provided by IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, which corroborated their initial testimony to the Committee. The documents reveal that the Biden Administration, including top Justice Department officials, engaged in what the Committee referred to as a “cover-up” that interfered with federal investigators and protected the Biden family, including President Biden.
One of the documents, an August 2020 email from Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf, instructed investigators to remove any mention of “Political Figure 1” from a search warrant related to FARA. Subsequent documents confirmed that “Political Figure 1” is President Biden.
According to the document, “Political Figure 1” is identified as “Former Vice President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.,” who is currently the Democratic Party’s Presidential candidate and served as the 47th Vice President of the United States under Barack Obama. The document also noted that he is the father of “SUBJECT 1,” presumably referring to Hunter Biden, the subject of the investigation.
The Justice Department indirectly confirmed Hunter Biden’s ongoing investigation for a potential FARA violation during his first court appearance in July, when a DOJ prosecutor stated, “Yes,” in response to the question of whether charges related to FARA could be brought against Hunter Biden.
The House Ways & Means Committee also claimed that documents revealed the Hunter Biden investigation was “hampered and artificially slowed.” During an interview with James Biden, the president’s brother in September 2022, investigators were prohibited from inquiring about then-Vice President Biden’s involvement in Hunter Biden’s dealings with CEFC China Energy. Additionally, they were not allowed to pursue leads related to potential campaign finance violations tied to wealthy Hollywood lawyer Kevin Morris, who financially assisted Hunter Biden.
Chairman Jason Smith stated that the newly released evidence establishes a “clearer connection between Joe Biden, his public office, and Hunter Biden’s global influence peddling scheme that resulted in over $20 million in payments to the Biden family.” Smith also emphasized the role of Hunter Biden’s for-profit entities in shielding foreign payments from taxes.
The documents come as part of House Republicans’ formal impeachment inquiry investigation into President Biden, with the House Oversight Committee set to hold its first public hearing as part of the inquiry on Thursday.
