On Wednesday afternoon, The Wall Street Journal reported that a whistleblower who works in the IRS's criminal investigation division came forward to reveal that the Biden administration is allegedly giving Hunter Biden preferential treatment and has tried to stonewall the investigation into the alleged tax crimes Hunter committed. If this had been a Republican administration running interference in a criminal investigation into the President's son, this would have wall-to-wall coverage on all three networks and all the cable channels. Instead, on the big three evening news broadcasts, only CBS Evening News touched the story.
Yet, ABC's World News Tonight and NBC Nightly News had plenty of time to waste on the parking garage collapse in New York City for the second night in a row (ABC), and an entire segment on how "climate change" is affecting sea life (NBC).
Meanwhile, CBS Evening News had the full report with anchor Norah O'Donnell kicking the coverage off: "Tonight, there is breaking news in the federal criminal investigation into Hunter Biden's tax returns. An attorney for an IRS supervisor sent a letter to lawmakers today, asking for whistleblower protection, saying his client has information that suggests the investigation is being improperly influenced by 'preferential treatment and politics.'"
Chief investigative correspondent Jim Axelrod sat down with the whistleblower's attorney, Mark Lytle who told Axelrod the "typical steps that a law enforcement investigator would take were compromised because of political considerations."
"Lytle sent this letter to Congress, claiming his client could provide information that would contradict sworn testimony by a senior political appointee," Axelrod reported.
The bombshells continued dropping when Axelrod revealed that "CBS News has learned that was Attorney General Merrick Garland. Who gave testimony about the Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney in Delaware conducting the Hunter Biden investigation. Lytle says neither he nor his client, are motivated by politics."
Ending his report, Axelrod noted "we asked Mark Lytle if there’s a chance his client can only see his slice of the investigation and not the big picture. He said that's possible, but that his client had expressed his concerns to superiors a number of times before seeking whistle-blower status."
"Neither the IRS, Department of Justice, or a lawyer for Hunter Biden would comment," he concluded his report.
This bias by omission from ABC & NBC was made possible by Verizon (ABC) and Liberty Mutual (NBC). Their information is linked.
To read the relevant transcript click "expand":
CBS Evening News
4/19/2023
6:39:48 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: Tonight, there is breaking news in the federal criminal investigation into Hunter Biden's tax returns. An attorney for an IRS supervisor sent a letter to lawmakers today, asking for whistleblower protection, saying his client has information that suggests the investigation is being improperly influenced by "preferential treatment and politics." Here is CBS News chief investigative correspondent Jim Axelrod.
MARK LYTLE: My client wants to come forward to Congress. He’s ready to be questioned about what he knows and what he experienced under the proper legal protections.
JIM AXELROD: Attorney Mark Lytle's client is a supervisory special agent at the IRS. Who’s prepared to tell Congress the investigation he’s been working on has been hampered by what he thinks is special treatment.
LYTLE: Typical steps that a law enforcement investigator would take were compromised because of political considerations.
AXELROD: Lytle wouldn’t talk in specifics, declining to identify either his client or the target of the investigation, his client helped conduct.
Can you identify him?
LYTLE: I can't at this stage, Jim.
AXELROD: But CBS News has learned the investigation the whistle-blower worked on is about Hunter Biden.
HUNTER BIDEN: What we're doing is being completely cooperative.
AXELROD: That was Biden two years ago after the DOJ opened an investigation into his finances. The FBI collected what it believed was sufficient evidence to charge Biden with tax crimes. And last year, sent its findings to the U.S. Attorney in Delaware. Since then, silence.
Why can't your client talk to us directly at this point?
LYTLE: There are laws that provide protection to whistle-blowers, and he has to navigate that.
AXELROD: Today, Lytle sent this letter to Congress, claiming his client could provide information that would contradict sworn testimony by a senior political appointee.
ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND: I promise to ensure that he’s able to carry out his investigation.
AXELROD: CBS News has learned that was Attorney General Merrick Garland. Who gave testimony about the Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney in Delaware conducting the Hunter Biden investigation. Lytle says neither he nor his client, are motivated by politics.
Would you find any evidence or allegation of a political agenda?
LYTLE: No. To him, the truth is one truth. And he wants to come forward with it.
AXELROD: Lytle told us the whistle-blower has been with the IRS for more than a decade and has extensive documentation to support his allegations.
LYTLE: The things he's been through are very well documented in emails and other communications with the Department of Justice.
AXELROD: We asked Mark Lytle if there’s a chance his client can only see his slice of the investigation and not the big picture. He said that's possible, but that his client had expressed his concerns to superiors a number of times before seeking whistle-blower status. Neither the IRS, Department of Justice, or a lawyer for Hunter Biden would comment.
