Congressman James Comer, the chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, is seeking any and all documents from the FBI that contain information about “Chinese Communist Party (CCP) connected entities and officials Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has engaged and partnered with.”
A Republican from Kentucky, Comer previously requested these documents in August. However, the chairman said he never received a response from the FBI.
“On August 16, 2024, the Committee requested information about the CCP-affiliated entities and officials with which Mr. Timothy Walz has engaged, as well as any warnings or information the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI or the Bureau) has provided to Mr. Walz or his office about CCP influence operations,” wrote Rep. Comer in a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray.
“The deadline to produce such documents and information has passed, and the Bureau has failed to provide any response to the Committee,” said Comer. “The FBI’s silence regarding Mr. Walz’s documented relations with CCP affiliates is inexcusable.”
Last month, Gov. Walz was selected to be the Democratic nominee for vice president of the United States in the 2024 presidential election. Since being elevated to the national ticket, the Minnesota governor’s connections to China have received widespread scrutiny.
In his letter to the FBI, Chairman Comer referenced documents and news articles which outline Walz’s reported connections to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The chairman’s letter included the following statements:
- “In 1993, Mr. Walz organized a trip to the PRC for his Alliance High School students; the costs for the trip were paid in part by the Chinese government. Mr. Walz then created a private company to coordinate annual student trips to China and led the tours himself.”
- “In 2007, Mr. Walz served not only as a member of Congress but also as a fellow at Macau Polytechnic University. According to the university’s website, Macau Polytechnic University exists ‘in alignment with China’s Belt and Road Initiative,’ a political warfare program developed by President Xi Jinping to exert China’s influence worldwide.”
- “Recent reports indicate Mr. Walz, while in Congress, ‘helped secure over $2 million’ and ‘pushed for a $5 million federal earmark’ for the Hormel Institute, which is a ‘Minnesota-based medical research center with a history of working with the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.'”
Chairman Comer reiterated his concerns, saying, “Mr. Walz’s involvement with Chinese entities and officials may have allowed the CCP to influence his decision-making as a congressman and governor and potentially would allow the CCP to influence the White House should Mr. Walz be elected vice president.”
The congressman’s office explained in a press release that Walz’s “history with CCP-affiliates bears characteristics of CCP influence operations,” basing that assessment on past FBI briefings.
As such, the chairman once again requested all documents in the FBI’s possession that involve “any Chinese entity or individual with whom Mr. Walz may have engaged or partnered.” Additionally, documents between Gov. Walz and the FBI “pertaining to warnings or guidance about subnational government officials engaging with the PRC, CCP, and the CCP’s proxies” were also included in the request.
Congressman Comer asked to receive the aforementioned documents “no later than September 19, 2024.”
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
