Watchdog appeals to Congress over alleged IRS whistleblower retaliation

The watchdog Empower Oversight sent a letter on Thursday to House lawmakers regarding alleged retaliatory actions taken against Internal Revenue Service agent Gary Shapley, who blew the whistle on the Hunter Biden investigation.

Shapley, who has worked for the IRS for over a decade, was reportedly given an ultimatum from his agency earlier this month. The three choices were either leave his post as a supervisory special agent in Chicago and accept a job as a senior analyst in Washington, accept a pay cut and demotion to criminal investigator, or resign/retire.

Empower Oversight said the retaliation has gone on for over a year and highlighted that investigative steps into the reported retaliation have only recently begun. The letter also said that Shapley has been passed over for two promotions that he was qualified for while waiting for the investigation.

You can read the letter below:

Empower Oversight President Tristan Leavitt said the retaliation can also continue by running out the clock on Shapley's "term tenure," which requires that IRS managers must be promoted within a certain time frame or face a demotion.

"[I]n order to punish SSA Shapley with demotion next May, the IRS need take no official action than simply not select him for advancement," Leavitt wrote in the letter, shared with Just The News. "This possibility was still over two years away at the beginning of January 2023 when the IRS passed over SSA Shapley for a promotion for which he was clearly the most qualified."

The letter was addressed to House Ways & Means Chairman Jason Smith, House Oversight Chairman James Comer, and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan.

Leavitt urged the committees to look into the reported retaliation and the delayed investigation.

"When it comes to whistleblower retaliation cases, justice delayed is justice denied—whatever the cause. This should not be," Leavitt concluded.

The IRS has steadfastly denied retaliating against Shapley.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.