House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is following up on the Committee’s subpoena to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for documents, communications, and intelligence reports in DHS’s custody related to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). DHS has not complied with the subpoena, and Chairman Comer is now releasing partial DHS internal communications obtained from a whistleblower, revealing concerns among DHS officials about the CCP targeting politicians, including Governor Walz. Chairman Comer reiterates the Committee’s demand for documents and requests a transcribed interview with Jacob Marx, Senior Advisor of the Department’s Office of Legislative Affairs.
“Because of DHS’s lack of compliance with the Committee’s legal subpoena and unwillingness to cooperate in good faith, the Committee is releasing a small portion of the Department’s internal communications it received from a whistleblower. The information shows DHS officials with subject matter expertise discussing, on the same day Vice President Kamala Harris selected Governor Walz as her running mate, the CCP’s targeting of Governor Walz,” wrote Chairman Comer. “The Committee is releasing the message as an example of communications within DHS’s possession in which DHS officials express concern about the CCP targeting politicians and their influence operations at the state and local levels—and specifically, concerns about the CCP’s influence operations as they relate to Governor Walz.”
The Oversight Committee has conducted a government-wide investigation into federal agencies’ efforts to combat the CCP’s infiltration and influence campaign, which seeks to weaken and corrupt the United States. During briefings with over twenty federal agencies, the Committee learned about the CCP’s efforts to influence subnational government leaders, including state governors. In August, Chairman Comer launched an investigation into Governor Walz following reports detailing the Governor’s longstanding connections to CCP entities and officials. On September 30, 2024, Chairman Comer subpoenaed DHS for documents, but DHS has been unresponsive to the subpoena.
“A whistleblower has provided further information to the Committee that indicates officials from DHS’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have been involved in the Department’s investigative and/or intelligence work connected with the CCP, the state of Minnesota, and Governor Walz,” continued Chairman Comer. “DHS’s unwillingness to cooperate with a Congressional subpoena seeking information on this subject of importance to the American people raises more questions. […] Federal agencies must be vigilant in identifying, countering, and deterring CCP elite capture. It appears to the Committee that DHS officials are specifically concerned about Governor Walz’s involvement with the PRC, but that DHS leadership is covering up such concerns by refusing to produce related documents and communications.”
Read the letter to DHS Secretary Mayorkas here.
