Gary Shapley takes the helm at IRS amidst political upheaval
President Donald Trump plans to appoint Gary Shapley as the acting commissioner of the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). Recently, he gained fame as a whistleblower in the investigation against Hunter Biden.
A few weeks ago, Shapley returned to the ranks as the deputy chief of the IRS criminal investigations department, and now he is set to temporarily take over the leadership of the entire institution following the resignation of the previous chief, who disagreed with Trump's administration's policies—especially the controversial decision to share taxpayers' data with immigration services.
The Treasury Department, which oversees the IRS, officially praised the nomination:
The statement highlighted that Gary Shapley has demonstrated strong principles and a dedication to upholding the law, even when it could negatively impact his own professional path. It emphasized that he will play an important role in transforming this crucial institution.
Shapley's promotion is a significant achievement for someone who not long ago was only a supervising agent at the IRS. Now, he is poised to serve in one of the most important positions in the American tax agency. Information about Donald Trump's plans was reported by CNN, citing three independent sources.
He spoke publicly about the Hunter Biden case
In 2023, Shapley publicly revealed that the investigation against Hunter Biden, the son of former US President Joe Biden, was deliberately delayed for political reasons, although some of his allegations were debunked by other officials, including the special counsel leading the case.
Shapley testified before Congress alongside another official, Joseph Ziegler. They reported then that they were removed from the Hunter Biden case in December 2022 after they reported to superiors that the Department of Justice and the prosecution deliberately delayed actions in the period preceding the 2020 presidential elections.
The tax investigation regarding Joe Biden's son ended with a presidential pardon. As a result, Hunter Biden avoided jail time for tax crimes and those related to firearms possession.
Shapley will be the fourth IRS chief this year. The previous one, Danny Werfel, appointed by Biden and confirmed by the Senate, resigned on the day of Trump's inauguration, even though his term was not yet over.
After him, Doug O’Donnell briefly held the office and also resigned. The next one, Melanie Krause, similarly stepped down, disagreeing with the new political line of the White House.
