The Hunter Biden narrative continues to unfold, with IRS whistleblowers alleging misconduct within the Justice Department's handling of the investigation. However, the media's portrayal of these whistleblowers has become a point of contention.
Several major news outlets, including The New York Times, have used quotation marks around the term "whistleblower" when referring to IRS investigator Gary Shapley. Shapley claims U.S. Attorney David Weiss was prevented from pursuing stronger charges against Hunter Biden. The Times, however, described Shapley as "testifying under what Republicans say are whistle-blower protections." In another report, Times reporter Peter Baker framed the situation as Congressional Republicans "promoting" two IRS ‘whistleblowers’ who allege the DOJ hampered Weiss, despite Weiss's denial.
This cautious labeling has drawn criticism. Washington Free Beacon reporter Chuck Ross found the Times' use of scare quotes "curious," suggesting it implies skepticism about the whistleblowers' legitimacy. Fox News contributor Joe Concha echoed this sentiment, calling the Times' coverage "blatantly biased." Shapley's attorney, Tristan Leavitt, criticized the practice, especially since the Times confirmed Shapley's key allegation.
NBC News also employed scare quotes in a banner about Shapley's CBS News interview, though later removed them for an on-air graphic. Correspondent Gabe Gutierrez framed the scandal as a GOP tactic to distract from Trump's legal troubles.
On MSNBC, legal analyst Harry Litman outright dismissed Shapley as "not" a whistleblower, calling him a "complainer" with a potential "ax to grind." He argued a true whistleblower follows internal agency procedures, which Shapley didn't do. Shapley's attorney countered by sharing an April letter to Congress detailing Shapley's whistleblowing efforts prior to contacting lawmakers. Ironically, Ross noted Litman previously praised convicted leaker Reality Winner as "Whistleblower of the Year."
The Washington Post also used scare quotes in a headline questioning the legitimacy of House GOP whistleblowers, including the IRS officials. The Post suggested these individuals might be "disgruntled employees" and questioned their whistleblower status, noting the difficulty in verifying their claims due to limited disclosed details.
Media critic Steve Krakauer views the use of scare quotes as a signal of underlying truth, suggesting the media uses them to express skepticism while maintaining a veneer of fairness.
