The watchdog Empower Oversight sent a letter to House lawmakers Thursday regarding alleged retaliatory actions taken against Internal Revenue Service agent Gary Shapley who blew the whistle on the Hunter Biden investigation.

Shapley, who has worked for the IRS for more than a decade, was reportedly given an ultimatum from his agency earlier this month. The three choices were to either leave his position as a supervisory special agent in Chicago and accept a senior analyst position in Washington, accept a pay cut and demotion to criminal investigator, or resign/retire.

Empower Oversight said the retaliation had been going on for more than a year and noted that investigative steps into the reported retaliation had only recently begun. The letter also stated that Shapley did not receive two promotions for which he was qualified pending the investigation.

You can read the letter below:

Empower Oversight President Tristan Leavitt said retaliation can also continue by eliminating time on Shapley’s “term,” which requires IRS officials to be promoted within a certain time frame or be demoted.

“(In order to punish SSA Shapley with a demotion next May, the IRS need not take any official action other than simply not selecting him for advancement,” Leavitt wrote in the letter shared with Just The News. “That possibility was still more than two years away in early January 2023 when the IRS passed over SSA Shapley for a promotion for which he was clearly best qualified.”

The letter was addressed to House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, House Oversight Chairman James Comer, and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan.

Leavitt urged the committees to examine the reported retaliation and the delay in the investigation.

“When it comes to whistleblower retaliation cases, justice delayed is justice denied, regardless of the cause. That should not be the case,” Leavitt concluded.

THE The IRS strongly denied retaliating against Shapley.

Misty Severi is an evening reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on for more coverage.