During the House Oversight Committee hearing on Wednesday, two IRS whistleblowers presented their claims that the Justice Department had politicized the criminal probe involving Hunter Biden, sparking a firestorm among Republicans.

One of the whistleblowers, Joseph Ziegler, a 13-year IRS special agent with the Criminal Investigation Division, publicly identified himself for the first time during the hearing.

Ziegler testified that he observed federal prosecutors deviating from standard procedures, supporting fellow whistleblower Gary Shapley’s assertion that IRS investigators had recommended more severe charges against Hunter Biden than the ones he eventually pleaded guilty to.

Ziegler expressed his belief that the US attorney in Delaware, handling their investigation, faced constant limitations and marginalization by DOJ officials and other US attorneys, CNN reported.

Both whistleblowers further informed lawmakers that Justice Department officials prevented their investigators from examining President Joe Biden and his grandchildren after potential evidence connected them to Hunter Biden’s financial issues.

Shapley pointed out the importance of scrutinizing financial flows when the subject’s father is linked to their finances, but they were barred from pursuing those leads.

Ziegler, who serves as Shapley’s deputy, also revealed in his written testimony that he wanted to interview Hunter Biden’s adult children after discovering potentially unlawful deductions in his tax returns related to payments made to them.

However, a Justice Department prosecutor discouraged this move, citing potential consequences.

The Justice Department and the White House have previously denied any political interference in the Hunter Biden criminal probe, and these recent allegations are consistent with the whistleblowers’ previous closed-door testimony, which was made public last month.

President Biden has maintained that he had no involvement in his son’s business dealings.

Written by staff