A federal judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by IRS agents Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler against attorney Abbe Lowell, ruling that statements he made while representing Hunter Biden were protected legal opinions.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon granted Lowell’s motion to dismiss, finding that the agents failed to plausibly show he acted with “actual malice,” a key requirement in a defamation case. Leon said Lowell’s comments were “positions that Biden’s attorneys took in the course of representing and advocating for their client.”
Shapley and Ziegler, who investigated Hunter Biden’s tax affairs and later came forward as whistleblowers, claimed Lowell defamed them in letters to Congress and the media regarding their disclosures. In a statement, they said they disagreed with the ruling and are considering an appeal, adding, “We legally blew the whistle when Hunter Biden almost escaped prosecution for his crimes because he was the President’s son.”
Lowell, a veteran Washington attorney, has recently launched his own law office representing public officials “targeted “ by President Trump and his administration. His current clients include New York Attorney General Letitia James, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, and CDC Director Susan Monarez.
Lowell’s former firm Winston & Strawn sued Hunter Biden in June, alleging more than $50,000 in unpaid legal fees. Biden has acknowledged some payment is due but disputes the amount, according to court filings.
