While the US mainstream press has a record of ignoring reports concerning alleged misdeeds by the president and the first son, the NYT has claimed it has a source backing some of accusations voiced by IRS supervisory agent-turned whistleblower Gary Shapley.
One of Shapley's bombshell claims is that US Attorney David Weiss – assigned to conduct an investigation into Hunter Biden's alleged tax crimes – was reportedly told by the DoJ that he could not bring charges against Hunter in California and Washington DC. Shapley's former subordinate, who came forward as a second IRS whistleblower, made the same claim.
This story runs contrary to Attorney General Merrick Garland's earlier assertions to the US Congress that Weiss has his hands untied when it comes to the Hunter probe in various state jurisdictions. Back in April, the IRS whistleblower placed emphasis on a false testimony to Congress made by a "senior political appointee." Later, the New York Post reported that Garland was the appointee whose sworn testimony to congress is being challenged.
Garland repeatedly denied having thrown any sand in Weiss's gears. The attorney general even offered to ask Weiss himself to comment on the matter.
"As I said at the outset, Mr. Weiss, who was appointed by President Trump as the US attorney in Delaware and assigned this matter during the previous administration, would be permitted to continue his investigation and to make a decision to prosecute any way in which he wanted to and in any district in which he wanted to," Garland told reporters last week. "Mr. Weiss has since sent a letter to the House Judiciary Committee confirming that he had that authority. He was given complete authority to make all decisions on his own behalf."
However, the US mainstream newspaper has recently confirmed that Weiss indeed complained about being rebuffed by justice department officials.
"In mid-2022, Mr. Weiss reached out to the top federal prosecutor in Washington, Matthew Graves, to ask his office to pursue charges and was rebuffed, according to Mr. Shapley’s testimony," the newspaper wrote on Tuesday. "A similar request to prosecutors in the Central District of California, which includes Los Angeles, was also rejected, Mr. Shapley testified. A second former IRS official, who has not been identified, told House Republicans the same story. That episode was confirmed independently to The New York Times by a person with knowledge of the situation."
US conservative outlets have drawn attention to the fact that the newspaper hid this very important piece of information concerning not just Hunter Biden but also AG Merrick Garland in the 21st paragraph of its lengthy report.