Whistleblowers Who Uncovered Hunter Biden Scandal Promoted To Key Treasury Roles

Two IRS whistleblowers who risked their careers to expose government interference in the Hunter Biden tax investigation have been appointed to senior positions at the Treasury Department. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Tuesday that Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler will serve as senior advisors focused on IRS reform and enforcement.

Shapley and Ziegler first came forward with evidence that the IRS, under pressure from the Justice Department, gave preferential treatment to Hunter Biden, blocking routine investigative steps. Their testimony before Congress helped unravel a plea deal that would have let the president’s son avoid serious tax fraud charges.

Sec. Scott Bessent Says He Promoted IRS Whistleblowers to Leadership Roles at the Treasury Department

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In an interview with Fox Business, Bessent said he met with the two whistleblowers after President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress and decided to bring them into Treasury. “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 decision follows findings by the Office of Special Counsel that the IRS had illegally retaliated against the two agents for speaking out. The OSC found that IRS leadership removed them from the case, issued improper gag orders and refused to pursue charges in key jurisdictions controlled by Biden appointees. Their work had uncovered payments linked to Hunter Biden that suggested tax evasion and other serious violations, yet higher-ups stalled the case as Biden’s presidential campaign gained momentum.

Shapley and Ziegler issued a statement thanking Bessent for giving them the chance to correct the agency’s failures. “We appreciate the opportunity to use our skills and firsthand knowledge of the agency to further the administration’s work to root out waste and fraud,” they said.

Watchdog groups commended Bessent for bringing in the two whistleblowers, calling it a necessary step toward accountability. Tristan Leavitt of Empower Oversight stated that Shapley and Ziegler’s deep knowledge of the IRS will help expose the agency’s political corruption and restore public trust.

House Republicans have repeatedly criticized the IRS for shielding powerful political figures from scrutiny. With these whistleblowers now leading efforts to investigate the agency’s failures, the Biden administration’s handling of Hunter Biden’s tax case is likely to face renewed scrutiny.