Top House Republicans raise concerns DOJ 'limiting' probe of Hunter Biden whistleblower claims

Top House Republicans on Tuesday voiced concerns that the Justice Department is "limiting" its inspector general's investigation of whistleblower claims that the executive law enforcement agency hindered the IRS's investigation of Hunter Biden.

The Republicans' letter to Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz comes after he told the lawmakers last month that his office faces a "potential limitation" in the investigation because he is required to refer any employee misconduct allegations to the agency's Professional Responsibility Office to deal with the matter.

"Based on your statements and the DOJ’s pattern of politically motivated actions, we are concerned that the DOJ is limiting your office from fully investigating the disclosures provided to your office," the letter signed Tuesday by House Oversight and Accountability Chair James Comer, R-Ky.; Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio; and Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo., states.

The chairmen asked Horowitz to provide documents by Sept. 6 explaining whether his office "is (1) limited in any way from fully investigating the whistleblowers disclosures ... and (2) if you are limited, how and why your office is limited."

Horowitz has been investigating claims filed earlier this year by IRS Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley and Special Agent Joseph Ziegler, who were investigating Hunter Biden's alleged financial crimes.

While Horowitz cannot provide information on that matter as the claims deal with an ongoing criminal probe, the men testified earlier this summer at a House hearing where they claimed the Biden family and their business partners made more than $17 million from foreign entities.

The whistleblowers also alleged that the Justice Department interfered with their probe of the first son and that when they came forward with evidence of interference, they were removed along with the entire team from the Biden investigation.

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