In 2019, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) unexpectedly terminated a criminal investigation into the activities of the Clinton Foundation, based on information made public through recently disclosed documents. Whistleblowers John Moynihan and Larry Doyle had presented a comprehensive dossier, amassing over 6,300 pages of evidence, which they claimed demonstrated misuse of funds, improper mingling of personal and charitable activities, and unlicensed foreign agency operations by the foundation.
The investigation began with IRS agents showing significant interest, going so far as to photograph the whistleblowers and register them as cooperating informants. One agent reportedly characterized the foundation as potentially fraudulent. The whistleblowers were even asked to provide witness lists and detailed guides to aid the case against the charity.
However, by mid-2019, the IRS's stance shifted dramatically. Internal memos featured agents stating that they could no longer discuss the Clinton Foundation, marking a stark reversal of their previous enthusiasm. By July of that year, all investigative efforts had ceased.
The sudden stop in proceedings left many questions unanswered, with confusion permeating the IRS. Records show that there was a mix-up with documents being lost or incorrectly routed, and there was unclear direction from IRS headquarters. Brian Della Rocca, attorney for the whistleblowers, expressed frustration, noting that his clients' work was abandoned despite the IRS's formal request for their submission.
The whistleblowers have not relinquished their quest for accountability. They have initiated two whistleblower lawsuits in U.S. Tax Court, with one tentatively scheduled for trial in December, as reported by Conservative Brief.
The termination of the 2019 investigation adds to a pattern of federal agencies initially showing keen interest in probing the Clinton Foundation but eventually backing down. In 2017, Moynihan and Doyle submitted extensive evidence to the IRS and FBI, implicating the foundation in international dealings and "pay-to-play" activities during Hillary Clinton's term as Secretary of State, among other alleged financial discrepancies.
Included in their evidence was a 2016 interview with the foundation's then-CFO Andrew Kessel, who supposedly confessed to being unable to prevent Bill Clinton from conflating personal and philanthropic endeavors and claimed to know "where all the bodies are buried."
In December 2018, the whistleblowers testified before Congress, cautioning that the foundation had acted as a foreign agent and should have registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
Throughout these allegations, the Clinton Foundation has maintained its innocence, attributing any compliance issues to clerical mistakes and dismissing the claims as politically charged. The exact reasons why the IRS ceased its investigation remain a mystery, although documentation implies that field agents took the allegations seriously until higher-up decisions halted their pursuit.
With ongoing litigation in Tax Court, there is potential for new insights into who interfered with the investigation and for what reasons, as the whistleblowers push for transparency in what many perceive as a politically delicate inquiry into one of the nation's most notable charitable organizations.
Following the news of the IRS halting the Clinton Foundation probe, former President Donald Trump shared an article from Just The News on Truth Social, amplifying the whistleblowers' ongoing battle in the U.S. Tax Court.
