Staff Reports
On Sunday, Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, made appearances on two major news shows, spreading misinformation about the ongoing investigation into his client. However, a fact-check conducted by Empower Oversight, a group representing IRS Whistleblower Gary Shapley, revealed the truth behind Lowell’s claims.
IRS Whistleblower's Attorneys Slams Misinformation From Hunter Biden Attorney https://t.co/uIAelzbrMq
— Dr. Kenneth Warner (@wrestlerkw7) August 19, 2023
One of the key points of contention was Lowell’s assertion that U.S. Attorney David Weiss had the authority to bring charges on his own before being appointed as special counsel. The fact-check debunked this, highlighting that special counsel authority was necessary for Weiss to have the power to bring charges in the proper jurisdictions. Lowell’s attempt to downplay the severity of the tax charges against Hunter Biden was also called out, with the fact-check explaining that the charges were not simply a matter of late taxes but involved false deductions, which is a felony offense.
Really tired of seeing Abbe Lowell's misinformation all weekend about the Hunter Biden case, so I'll be sharing through @EMPOWR_us some regular posts to reconnect what he said with reality. pic.twitter.com/SplrJ5HQIo
— Tristan Leavitt (@tristanleavitt) August 14, 2023
So if Weiss never asked for special charging authority—despite discussing it with Dept officials “months before” telling agents in October 2022 he would seek it if denied in the Central District of California—it reinforces that he doesn’t have the independence to do the job now. https://t.co/Ha3P1Sl10S pic.twitter.com/3NhifZmCQf
— Tristan Leavitt (@tristanleavitt) August 18, 2023
Abbe Lowell had a lot to say this weekend about how the only reason things would change from the two misdemeanors was if something other than the facts and the law changed. As documents show, something other than the facts and law "infected the process" well before the plea deal. pic.twitter.com/J6EgGwSFV2
— Tristan Leavitt (@tristanleavitt) August 14, 2023
The full document just went out via email… If you're not on our email list, sign up at https://t.co/JHG9xf0Xyx (or DM me if you'd like on our reporter list too). pic.twitter.com/EFFf8Bg2uF
— Tristan Leavitt (@tristanleavitt) August 15, 2023
— Tristan Leavitt (@tristanleavitt) August 15, 2023
Abbe Lowell has argued politics will have infected the process if the government pursues anything other than the sweetheart deal it proposed to his client, but it seems pretty likely politics infected the process from the very beginning. pic.twitter.com/ewSRawg4Kt
— Tristan Leavitt (@tristanleavitt) August 15, 2023
Hunter's defense will no doubt try to use the fact that this case was dead prior to the whistleblower disclosures to claim its resurrection was political. But politics instead benefited their client at every stage, and the case was only dead because of Biden political appointees. pic.twitter.com/pqrmz9Ebe0
— Tristan Leavitt (@tristanleavitt) August 16, 2023
Abbe Lowell is out there spreading misinformation again… He says the investigation into Hunter Biden was a "Republican-started investigation." I guess he missed that the IRS special agent who opened the case in Nov. 2018, Joe Ziegler, is a Democrat. https://t.co/bL6La2BVuW pic.twitter.com/dUQFcgwbem
— Tristan Leavitt (@tristanleavitt) August 18, 2023
Lowell also tried to argue that Hunter Biden was unfairly targeted due to his high-profile status. However, the fact-check revealed that the opposite was true – investigators testified that Hunter Biden received preferential treatment because of his last name. Prosecutors went to great lengths to shield him from scrutiny, removing his name from documents, court orders, and search warrants. They even tipped off defense counsel, preventing a search warrant for a storage unit.
Another misleading claim made by Lowell was his attempt to attack the credibility of U.S. Attorney Weiss by suggesting that he was a Trump appointee. The fact-check clarified that Weiss had also served in the Obama administration and had the support of Democratic Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons. It was also revealed that several members of the prosecution team had democratic ties, further dispelling the notion of partisan bias.
The fact-check concluded by highlighting the pressure faced by investigators and the questionable handling of the case. Agents testified that prosecutors in the Delaware U.S. Attorney’s Office hindered the investigation and declined to follow leads. Additionally, Weiss’s lack of special charging authority meant he had to rely on the support of other U.S. Attorneys, who ultimately declined to partner with him. The fact-check also highlighted threats made by Hunter Biden’s attorney, who warned that charging his client would be “career suicide” for the prosecutors.
Overall, the fact-check exposes the misinformation and distortions presented by Hunter Biden’s attorney. It is clear that the investigation into Hunter Biden was not handled properly, with preferential treatment shown to him due to his family name. The fact-check raises serious concerns about the integrity and fairness of the investigation and calls into question the credibility of those involved.
