The U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee, spearheaded by Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), has launched an investigation into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s alleged connections to China. This move comes as Walz is being considered for the vice-presidential slot alongside Kamala Harris. On Friday, Comer sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, requesting information on Chinese entities and individuals connected to Governor Walz. Comer is seeking documents and communications between Walz’s office and the FBI related to any warnings or guidance about engaging with representatives or proxies of the Chinese government.
In his public statement, Rep. Comer expressed concern over Walz’s extensive engagements with China. He cited Walz’s numerous visits to China, his role as a fellow at a Chinese institution, and his collaborations with individuals linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Notably, Walz’s initial encounter with China dates back to 1989, when he partook in Harvard University’s teach-abroad program, and later founded Educational Travel Adventures to organize trips to the country.
Walz, despite his ties to China, has been a vocal critic of its policies, having met with the Dalai Lama and Hong Kong democracy activists, and supported the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act while serving on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. Further information about his engagements can be found here.
This investigation follows a pattern of intensified scrutiny by House Republicans on their political rivals. The probe into Walz aligns with a recent inquiry by Comer into Vice President Harris’s involvement in managing immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border, casting her role as Biden’s “border czar.” Additional details about Harris’s investigation are available here.
The latest developments have been met with criticism from Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, whose spokesperson characterized the investigation into Walz as a “political stunt” aimed at bolstering the former president’s interests. This sentiment was echoed by Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), who has questioned Walz’s adherence to foreign travel reporting requirements during his service in the National Guard. Banks’s concerns were detailed in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
For more detailed coverage of the investigation, visit the original article on JURIST.