Hunter Biden on Wednesday dropped a lawsuit that accused the IRS of illegally disclosing his private tax information in an effort to “embarrass” him.
The suit, filed in 2023, specifically targeted IRS criminal investigators Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, who had publicly revealed details about Biden’s tax issues, ultimately derailing a plea agreement he had arranged with prosecutors.
In a joint filing with the Justice Department, Biden asked the federal district court in Washington to dismiss the case “with prejudice,” meaning it cannot be brought again. No explanation was offered, though in a separate case Biden cited financial hardship in withdrawing a suit.
Shapley and Ziegler issued a joint statement saying they had looked forward to contesting the claims in court. “We truly wanted our day in court to provide the complete story, but it appears Mr. Biden was afraid to actually fight this case in a court of law after all,” they said. “His voluntary dismissal of the case tells you everything you need to know about who was right and who was wrong.”
Biden had argued the agents and the IRS violated federal secrecy laws by releasing private information from his tax returns and sharing details from his laptop, as well as stating publicly that they believed he should have faced criminal charges for tax evasion.
Shapley and Ziegler had attempted to intervene as official defendants but were denied by a judge, despite appeals. The case was still pending before the circuit court at the time of dismissal. Hunter Biden has since been convicted on tax and gun charges. His father issued a controversial pardon late last year.
Under the Trump administration, both whistleblowers have been promoted Shapley was promoted as deputy chief of IRS Criminal Investigations and is advising Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on agency reforms. Ziegler was also promoted and is assisting with those efforts.
