Gary Shapley's legal representative, Mark Lytle, countered accusations leveled by Hunter Biden's attorney, Abbe Lowell, regarding Shapley's role as a whistleblower in the ongoing investigation. Lowell, known for representing prominent figures like Gary Condit, Robert Menendez, and even Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, had characterized Shapley as a "disgruntled agent" driven by an "obsession" with the Biden family. Lytle challenged this portrayal, emphasizing Shapley's credibility and the meticulous process they followed to comply with legal regulations before coming forward.
Lytle criticized the Washington Post's coverage of Lowell's letter to Rep. Jason Smith, which contained the criticisms, and called Lowell's timing "suspect." He defended Shapley, asserting that the accusations were "meritless and baseless." He highlighted Shapley's testimony under oath and the extensive time spent cooperating with lawmakers. Lytle also took issue with Lowell's claim that the release of testimony transcripts was a deliberate attempt to smear Hunter Biden and target his father. He further criticized the Washington Post and demanded clarification on statements he considered false accusations against Shapley.
In his letter to Smith, Lowell had depicted the interviews with Shapley and another IRS agent, "Mr. X," as staged accounts of distorted and incomplete facts presented by dissatisfied agents. In response, Smith accused Biden's legal team of attempting to obstruct the investigation and discredit the whistleblowers, who allege facing retaliation from the IRS and DOJ despite legal protections. Lytle also revealed he sent a letter to two Washington Post reporters requesting they correct what he claimed were false statements made by Hunter Biden's legal team about Shapley.
