IRS whistleblower Gary Sappley’s former superior suggested that he be removed from the federal probe of Hunter Biden, a newly public transcript has revealed even though it confirms key elements of Shapley’s claim that the probe was restricted in its the scope.
IRS Special Agent In Charge Darrell Waldon sat for a private interview with members of the House Ways & Means Committee on Friday. Waldon was one of the individuals named by Shapley as attending an October. 7th, 2022 meeting at which then-U.S. Attorney General for Delaware David Weiss allegedly discussed the limitations of The Hunter Biden investigation.
Waldon He claimed that he was a special agent responsible for the investigation from “April of 2021 through February of 2023,” stated that he recommended Shapley be removed from the investigation because of making “unsubstantiated” claims.
“So before I left the special agent in charge position, in February, I recommended to [IRS Director of Field Operations Michael Batdorf] that Gary Shapley be removed as the [supervisory special agent] from the Hunter Biden investigation, primarily due to what I perceived to be unsubstantiated allegations about motive, intent, bias. And, again, my goal was to protect the integrity of the investigation and figure out a way forward,” Waldon said to GOP investigators.
However, Shapley was not reinstated until the end of May, Waldon explained. He also denied having an active role in Shapley’s demotion out of his investigation into the Hunter Biden probe.
In the interview earlier in the interview, Waldon acknowledged that the investigation had been “sensitive” in nature but stated “no” when asked if his opinion was that the investigation was being manipulated.
Shapley’s claims were also confirmed by him. of being confined in his investigations.
“Yes. Or I should say at least of the things that they can ask in interviews, is my general awareness,” Waldon responded when asked whether Shapley stated that the team was “limited in who they could interview.”
Waldon also stated that he remembered “a discussion” on the issue about Shapley as well as his staff having been “restricted from requesting certain interviews of relatives of Hunter Biden.”
But, he has denied recollecting any instances when Shapley was denied a specific request.
Shapley previously stated that Weiss said to a group law enforcement officials on October. 7 last year that he wasn’t in no way “the deciding person” in the case of Hunter Biden, despite both Weiss as well as the Justice Department vowing the Trump appointee would have full control regarding the inquiry. Shapley claimed that Weiss who is now an attorney general was not given the job at the time, and told that he was not able to indict Hunter Biden in Washington, D.C. or California.
Waldon told GOP reporters that this case had been “presented” there but the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, D.C., “did not agree to take the case on.”
Waldon stated that should each D.C. and the Central District of California rejected the appeal, “There was processes that Mr. Weiss would have to work out with the Department of Justice, and that’s my basic understanding.”
Following the October. 7, meeting Weiss did not speak directly with Shapley completely, Waldon explained. “Mr. Weiss stated to me that he would not be communicating with Mr. Shapley anymore and he would be going directly to me,” He stated, referring to a conversation earlier in the month.
While the IRS was the sole authority in the matter of whether an agent would be transferred however, Waldon stated that generally, “DOJ would communicate what their preference is, and then we would deliberate on that conversation.”
The son of President Biden is under scrutiny as well as members of the Justice Department and GOP members of Congress. A plea agreement between Weiss Office as well as Hunter Biden fell through earlier this summer.
Fox News Digital reached out to Ways & Means Committee Democrats as well as the IRS for comments.