Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, recently filed a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In the complaint, Biden is demanding that the IRS disclose why it imposed a $450,000 tax lien on his company.
The 51-year-old businessman, who holds high-level positions in a number of companies, was recently informed by IRS agents in January 2021 that they were collecting the unpaid taxes from the year 2013. On April 21, Biden responded to this aggressive action by filing a lawsuit against the IRS demanding that they explain how and why it decided to levy the significant tax lien on his business.
Biden claims in the complaint that the IRS’s actions were “arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of discretion,” as well as “contrary to law.” He further accused the agency of unjustifiably revealing information about his tax returns. This is a violation of privacy rights, not only for Biden but also other taxpayers.
In the filing, Biden asked the U.S. District Court in California to force the IRS to explain why the tax lien was imposed. He also requested that the tax agency be prohibited from taking further action while the court reviews the case.
The $450,000 tax lien was imposed during Biden’s tenure as a business associate to a Chinese-owned energy company. Many experts criticized the appointment and suggested that it might be a conflict of interest. President Biden’s spokespeople, however, have stated that it was a “normal” business activity and unrelated to the White House.
The IRS’s move to reveal the information about Biden’s taxes has attracted sharp criticism from taxpayers across the country. Many have called for a greater protection of personal information from the tax agency and are hoping that Biden’s lawsuit will encourage changes in IRS policy to enhance the privacy of taxpayers.
Ultimately, the outcome of Biden’s lawsuit is yet to be seen. But no matter the result, the case serves as an important reminder of the need for greater transparency and accountability when it comes to the IRS and their handling of taxpayers’ information.