When Gary Shapley, a seasoned I.R.S. investigator, needed to bring attention to his claims about the mishandling of the tax investigation into President Biden’s son Hunter, he faced the challenge of sharing sensitive information without breaking the law. Unable to provide the information to his lawyer due to the risk of committing a felony, he sought the assistance of Empower Oversight, a group primarily composed of Republican lawyers with extensive experience in Capitol Hill investigations.
Empower Oversight, which includes former aides to Senator Charles E. Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, provided guidance to Shapley on the appropriate steps to take. Leveraging their intricate knowledge of Congress’s complex procedures and whistle-blower statutes, some of which were authored by Grassley himself, they devised a strategy for lawfully delivering the information to Congress.
Months later, Shapley and his colleague Joseph Ziegler testified before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, shedding light on their allegations of preferential treatment given to Hunter Biden. Republicans eagerly seized upon this as evidence of President Biden and the Justice Department’s corruption. Empower Oversight has played a crucial role in facilitating various Republican investigations into the Biden family, the administration, and federal law enforcement.
Empower Oversight not only represents I.R.S. whistle-blowers but also two F.B.I. agents critical of the agency’s actions before the Republican-led select House committee on the weaponization of government. The Republican Party has made it clear that their goal is to scrutinize President Biden and defend former President Donald J. Trump against the numerous criminal cases he faces. Outside organizations like the Heritage Foundation and the Conservative Partnership Institute contribute significant funds towards these endeavors. In contrast, Empower Oversight operates on a smaller budget and employs only two individuals.
Despite the external assistance, House Republicans’ efforts during this Congress have rarely yielded substantial results, struggling to substantiate claims of misconduct by the president despite months of endeavor. Some whistle-blowers who testified on Capitol Hill have faced repercussions, with their security clearances revoked. Democrats have criticized them as former officials backed financially by Trump’s allies.
Additionally, some witnesses presented challenges. One highly anticipated potential Republican witness turned out to be a fugitive facing charges of arms trafficking and corruption on behalf of foreign countries.
Presenting Shapley and Ziegler before Congress posed a complex task due to the potential felony charges associated with the unauthorized disclosure of tax information. Empower Oversight members requested lawmakers from both parties to deputize two of Shapley’s lawyers as agents of the legislative branch, enabling them to review Hunter Biden’s private tax information. Throughout this process, Shapley and his legal team took care not to mention Hunter Biden’s name publicly.
House Republicans arranged for Shapley to testify in a closed-door session before the Ways and Means Committee, the only appropriate panel for him to report such information to legally. Representative Jason Smith, a Missouri Republican, who made investigating Hunter Biden’s taxes a central part of his chairmanship campaign, led a contentious vote to make the allegations public, replicating the process used by Democrats when they released Trump’s tax returns.
The outcome was a testimony with considerable impact, surpassing previous witnesses presented by the GOP during this Congress. Shapley claimed that officials from the Justice Department hindered and delayed the investigation, presenting text messages, obtained through a search warrant, suggesting Hunter Biden engaged in a shakedown of a Chinese business associate, claiming his father was present, awaiting confirmation of a deal. This testimony triggered extensive media coverage and raised questions about President Biden’s involvement.
Democrats, Justice Department officials, and Hunter Biden’s legal team vehemently opposed the allegations, accusing the Republican-led Ways and Means Committee of violating tax laws and federal rules governing investigations. Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, criticized the testimony, describing it as a recitation of mischaracterized and incomplete facts orchestrated by disgruntled agents. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat from Texas, also attacked Empower Oversight, suggesting their involvement was part of a partisan campaign against the president.
Empower Oversight firmly rejects claims of partisanship in their work. While its leaders are Republicans, they maintain that their role is to provide legal advice and support to whistle-blowers, irrespective of their political affiliation. The organization’s president, Tristan Leavitt, formerly served as an aide to Grassley and other Hill Republicans. Leavitt emphasized the nonpartisan nature of their work, highlighting their collaborations with left-leaning groups and their membership in the Make It Safe Coalition, which represents whistle-blowers across the political spectrum.
Empower Oversight was founded in 2021 by Jason Foster, a former Grassley staffer known for his aggressive tactics in investigating the Justice Department. Foster faced scrutiny for posts he made on an anonymous blog in the mid-2000s expressing concern about a Muslim takeover and questioning whether Joe McCarthy was treated unfairly. Although the blog is no longer accessible and Foster apologized, clarifying that his writings were satirical, he started Empower Oversight to assist individuals in making protected disclosures appropriately.
The group’s appeal to whistle-blowers stems from the members’ experience working with Grassley, who has become particularly focused on Hunter Biden’s international business dealings. Through Empower Oversight, these individuals can receive guidance on navigating the disclosure process in compliance with the rules.
In conclusion, Empower Oversight plays a crucial role in aiding Republican investigations into President Biden, his family, and federal law enforcement. While accusations of partisanship have arisen, the organization strives to offer nonpartisan legal guidance and support to whistle-blowers seeking to report sensitive information lawfully. Their expertise and experience in Capitol Hill procedures make them a valuable asset in the pursuit of uncovering potential wrongdoing.
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