Despite attempts to deflect whistleblower claims by House Oversight Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, D-Md., committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said a former FBI agent has confirmed the details of a "cover-up" in testimony Monday.
"A former FBI supervisory special agent assigned to the FBI's Wilmington office and the Biden criminal investigation confirmed key portions of the IRS whistleblower's testimony," Comer wrote in a statement Monday night.
The transcribed testimony Monday confirmed the IRS whistleblower claims that high-ranking officials in the Biden administration worked to undermine investigations into Hunter Biden.
"The night before the interview of Hunter Biden, both Secret Service headquarters and the Biden transition team were tipped off about the planned interview," Comer's statement continued. "On the day of the Hunter Biden interview, federal agents were told to stand by and could not approach Hunter Biden — they had to wait for his call.
"As a result of the change in plans, IRS and FBI criminal investigators never got to interview Hunter Biden as part of the investigation."
According to a tweet from the oversight panel: "The NIGHT BEFORE our team interviewed the former FBI supervisory special agent who confirmed key portions of the IRS whistleblowers’ testimony, the agent received a letter from the FBI directing him to “DECLINE TO RESPOND” to our committee’s questions regarding our ongoing Biden Family investigation.
"This is just another account of the Biden Administration attempting to intimidate critical witnesses in this investigation. Regardless of their tactics, there will be accountability."
Damaging Testimony
The testimony amounts to a "cover-up" by the Justice Department or top-ranking officials of the FBI, according to Comer.
Attorney General Bill Barr was still in place under former President Donald Trump at the time. Trump was still contesting the 2020 presidential election in those early December weeks, which had not been voted by the states' Electoral College on Dec. 14. Barr announced his resignation Dec. 23, which is the same date as the deadline for states' Electoral College vote certificates to be received.
"The Justice Department's efforts to cover up for the Bidens reveals a two-tiered system of justice that sickens the American people," Comer's statement concluded. "The Oversight Committee, along with the Judiciary Committee and Ways and Means Committee, will continue to seek the answers, transparency, and accountability that the American people demand and deserve."
Comer's review of the transcribed interview noted these top-line takeaways:
- IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley and the former FBI agent were assigned to the Hunter Biden interview Dec. 8, 2020.
- Shapley and the FBI agent learned the night of Dec. 7 that the Secret Service and the Biden transition team was tipped off by FBI headquarters of the interview, which frustrated the agents who sought to keep the probe to those who needed to know, but someone leaked it to the FBI headquarters and the Biden transition team.
- Shapley and the FBI agent were told not to approach Hunter Biden's home and would have to wait nearby for Hunter Biden to contact them.
- Being told to wait for an invite by the subject of an investigation was a first for the FBI agent, he told the committee.
- Shapley and the FBI agent ultimately never interviewed Hunter Biden.