The two IRS whistleblowers who exposed failures to properly investigate Hunter Biden—and who were reportedly retaliated against as a result—have now received promotions from the Trump administration. IRS supervisory special agent Gary Shapley and IRS special agent Joseph Ziegler will serve as senior advisers to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Just the News has learned.
Rewarding merit rather than retaliating against whistleblowers is exactly how government ought to work. At long last, I’m happy that’s finally what is happening for Gary and Joe. They earned these promotions through integrity and hard work for the American people,” Jason Foster, the founder of Empower Oversight, which is representing the IRS whistleblowers, told the outlet.
The promotions of Hunter Biden’s whistleblowers were first reported by the New York Post on Tuesday morning. “We are enormously grateful to Secretary Bessent, Senator Grassley, and all of the members of Congress for their leadership and trust,” Shapley and Ziegler said in a statement released by Senator Chuck Grassley’s office. “We have been motivated by one singular mantra: do what’s right, and do it the right way. It has not been easy, but having a clear conscience is worth the effort. We appreciate the opportunity Secretary Bessent is giving us to put our experience and firsthand knowledge to good use for the American people to eliminate waste and reform the IRS.”
Grassley had sent a private letter to Bessent in late February, informing the new Treasury Department head that “their bravery, courage, expertise, and integrity are all leadership qualities that should be exemplified within the ranks of the IRS.” Grassley added, “Gary Shapley and Joe Ziegler put their entire careers on the line to stand up for the truth, and instead of being thanked, the Biden administration treated them like skunks at a picnic. Far too many whistleblowers share a similar experience of retaliation.
“I hope today is the first of many redemption stories for whistleblowers who’ve been mistreated. By taking a stand for whistleblowers, President Trump and his cabinet are ushering in a new era of transparency and accountability,” Grassley continued.
Lawyers for the whistleblowers have stated that Shapley and Ziegler were removed from the Hunter Biden investigation in May 2023 and have claimed that their clients faced ongoing retaliation since then. The IRS whistleblowers have consistently maintained that they did nothing “unlawful” and adhered to all laws and procedures when they exposed the DOJ and IRS’s stonewalling of the federal case against Hunter Biden.