Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has once again found himself in the spotlight as he sues the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over alleged privacy violations. The lawsuit, filed on Monday, claims that two whistleblowers from the agency leaked sensitive information about Hunter’s taxes to Congress, which is a violation of federal tax laws and his right to privacy.
The lawsuit focuses on IRS agents Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, who went to Congress to expose what they believed was a double standard in the way Hunter’s tax affairs and purchase of a firearm were being investigated. The two whistleblowers claimed that they were blocked from pursuing certain lines of questioning that could potentially implicate Hunter’s father, President Joe Biden. They also alleged that Hunter received preferential treatment, such as advance warning of certain investigative actions.
According to the lawsuit, the whistleblowers revealed specific information to Congress that could only have been obtained by viewing Hunter’s personal tax records. This information was then made public in over 20 nationally televised interviews and numerous public statements, which Hunter’s legal team argues is a serious violation of his rights.
In the court documents, it is stated that the leaked information included “the specific tax years under investigation, the amounts of deductions, the nature of those deductions, and allegations of liability regarding specific tax years and the amount thereof, that could only be known to them based on a review of the physical tax returns themselves.”
This is not the first time Hunter Biden has come under scrutiny for his business dealings and financial affairs. He has been the subject of multiple federal investigations and has faced allegations of corruption and wrongdoing. However, he has maintained his innocence and has taken an adversarial stance toward federal officials.
The latest lawsuit is just one example of Hunter’s increasingly combative approach toward those investigating him. It also mirrors his stance toward Republicans who have accused him of engaging in corrupt overseas business dealings.
The lawsuit comes on the heels of a failed plea deal that Hunter’s legal team negotiated with Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss in July. The deal would have seen Hunter pleading guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges, but it fell apart after the judge began asking about the limits on immunity granted by a diversion agreement on a gun charge.
As Hunter continues to face pressure from federal investigators and prosecutors, it seems that he is not willing to go down without a fight. With his lawsuit against the IRS, he is sending a message that regardless of who he is, he has the same rights as any other American citizen and will not allow those rights to be violated. The case will no doubt continue to attract attention as it moves through the legal system.