Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has appointed two IRS whistleblowers to senior positions in the department, reinforcing efforts to investigate political corruption within the agency. Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, who exposed the Biden administration’s interference in the Hunter Biden tax probe, will serve as senior advisors, focusing on reform and accountability.
Shapley and Ziegler revealed how Justice Department officials stalled the investigation into Hunter Biden, blocking search warrants, delaying charging decisions and allowing key statutes of limitations to expire. Their testimony before Congress exposed how Biden’s political allies worked to shield his son from serious tax fraud charges.
Sec. Scott Bessent Says He Promoted IRS Whistleblowers to Leadership Roles at the Treasury Department
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During an interview on Fox Business, Bessent explained his reasoning for hiring the whistleblowers. “We’ll learn what’s been going on at the IRS, what’s been wrong and how this Hunter Biden nonsense happened,” he said. Shapley will take on the role of senior deputy for investigations and enforcement.
The move follows an Office of Special Counsel report that found the IRS had unlawfully retaliated against both men. The investigation confirmed that they were removed from the Biden case, issued illegal gag orders and stripped of their responsibilities in an attempt to silence them. Despite extensive evidence of wrongdoing, higher-ups at the IRS and DOJ worked to suppress the case.
In a joint statement, Shapley and Ziegler expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to expose misconduct within the agency. “We are enormously grateful for the chance to continue our work and hold the agency accountable,” they said.
Government watchdog groups have hailed Bessent’s move as a necessary step toward restoring trust in the IRS. Empower Oversight, which represents the whistleblowers, stated that their new roles will allow them to uncover further corruption and ensure the agency is no longer used for political cover-ups.
With House Republicans pushing for additional investigations into IRS misconduct, Shapley and Ziegler’s leadership could reveal even more evidence of how federal agencies were weaponized to protect the Biden family.
