WASHINGTON — Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz has informed Congress of a “potential jurisdictional issue” preventing him from investigating whistleblower complaints alleging a cover-up in the criminal investigation of first son Hunter Biden.
Horowitz, who is widely respected in Washington as a hard-charging and nonpartisan internal watchdog, disclosed the issue in a letter to House Republicans last month after IRS agents Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler said Justice Department leaders misled Congress, gave preferential treatment to the first son and steered investigators away from probing President Biden’s role in foreign dealings.
“[M]y office has taken a number of steps to assess the information [Shapley] provided,” Horowitz wrote in a letter dated July 19 to three House committee chairmen and made public Tuesday.
“In undertaking this assessment, however, we are mindful of the potential limitation on the [Office of the Inspector General]’s jurisdiction as a result of [federal law], which requires my office to refer to DOJ’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) ‘allegations of misconduct involving Department attorneys, investigators, or law enforcement personnel, where the allegations relate to the exercise of the authority of an attorney to investigate, litigate, or provide legal advice.'”
“Consistent with our usual practice when such a potential jurisdictional issue arises, we consult with OPR about the matter,” Horowitz added.
“Also...
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