Rep. James Comer says Hunter Biden tax evasion charges are down to 'two brave whistleblowers' and that his probe will prove Joe Biden knew of Hunter's 'fraud schemes' and DOJ is protecting 'the big guy' and his son

Rep. James Comer released a statement calling Hunter Biden's tax evasion whistleblowers 'brave' and then accused the President's DOJ of protecting 'the big guy'.

Comer's statement comes after it was revealed that the Department of Justice filed nine new criminal charges against U.S. President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, in California.

All nine charges relate to tax, including two felony charges for filing a false return, a felony charge for tax evasion, four failure to pay charges, and a further two charges for failure to file. The charges span the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 tax years. 

'Two brave IRS whistleblowers, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, placed their careers on the line to blow the whistle on misconduct and politicization in the Hunter Biden criminal investigation,' Comer said on Thursday. 

'The Department of Justice got caught in its attempt to give Hunter Biden an unprecedented sweetheart plea deal,' the Republican congressman continued. 

 Comer has been chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability since January 7, 2023.

'Today's charges filed against Hunter Biden are the result of Mr. Shapley and Mr. Ziegler's efforts to ensure all Americans are treated equally under the law,' the Kentucky Representative added in his statement.

'Every American should applaud these men for their courage to expose the truth.

'IRS whistleblowers also revealed investigators were prevented from following evidence that could have led to Joe Biden. 

'The House Oversight Committee's investigation of the Bidens' influence peddling schemes reveals how Joe Biden knew about, participated in, and benefitted from his family cashing in on the Biden name. 

'In fact, Hunter Biden's corporate entities implicated by today's indictments funneled foreign cash that landed in Joe Biden's bank account. 

'Unless U.S. Attorney Weiss investigates everyone involved in the Bidens' fraud schemes and influence peddling, it will be clear President Biden's DOJ is protecting Hunter Biden and the big guy.'

The first whistleblower Joseph Ziegler - known only as 'Whistleblower X' until he testified on the House Oversight Committee in July - is a 13-year veteran of the IRS who took the lead in the federal investigation into Hunter Biden, which spanned both the Trump and Biden administrations.

Ziegler recommended prosecutors charge Hunter Biden with multiple felonies and misdemeanors in 2021, CBS reported.

The investigator believed he had evidence that showed the president's son had improperly claimed business deductions for a number of personal expenses, including his children's college tuition, hotel bills and payments to escorts. 

Gary Shapley is the second whistleblower - he was Ziegler's supervisor and the first to come forward with the allegations against the Justice Department.

The Justice Department now says the president's son faces up to 17 years in prison.

The indictment states that despite receiving millions in personal income and financial support from a friend, Hunter Biden 'spent this money on drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes.'

'The Defendant engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019,' it reads.