House Republicans are once again leveraging their investigatory powers to scrutinize a prominent political opponent, this time focusing on Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz. Led by House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.), the GOP is launching a new probe into Walz’s past interactions with China, seeking to exploit his history for political gain.
In a recent letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Comer demanded information on any potential connections between Walz and Chinese entities, as well as any related documents or communications involving the FBI. The letter inquires specifically about any defensive briefings Walz may have received regarding Chinese intelligence or influence efforts. However, it remains uncertain whether such briefings were ever issued.
This investigation is part of a broader trend among House Republicans, who have been increasingly fixated on probing their political adversaries. The timing of this inquiry aligns with their ongoing impeachment investigation into President Biden and his family’s foreign business dealings, indicating a strategic shift to target the Harris-Walz ticket.
Walz’s connection to China stems from his time teaching high school there in 1989 and leading educational trips to the country during his subsequent teaching years in Nebraska and Minnesota. Reports indicate he has visited China at least 30 times and was a fellow at Macao Polytechnic University in 2007.
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Walz has been a staunch critic of China, actively championing human rights by sponsoring key legislation, meeting with the Dalai Lama and a Hong Kong democracy activist, and co-sponsoring the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act in the House.
The GOP’s scrutiny extends to Walz’s official interactions as governor. Comer asserts Walz attended a U.S.-China Peoples Friendship Association event in 2019, citing a promotional document for the event that notes Walz was invited to speak. However, it is not clear that Walz attended the event and the Chinese Embassy’s recap of the event made no mention of him.
Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), who is also running for Senate, has joined the chorus, questioning whether Walz adhered to foreign travel reporting requirements while traveling to China as part of his National Guard duties.
Walz’s campaign has criticized the investigation as a political stunt aimed at distracting from what they perceive as Republican failures, particularly under the Trump administration. Walz’s spokesperson, Teddy Tschann, defended the governor’s record, emphasizing his strong stance against Chinese influence and commitment to American interests.
“Throughout his career, Governor Walz has stood up to the CCP, fought for human rights rights and democracy, and always put American jobs and manufacturing first,” Tschann said in a statement. “Republicans are twisting basic facts and desperately lying to distract from the Trump-Vance agenda: praising dictators, and sending American jobs to China. Vice President Harris and Governor Walz will ensure we win the competition with China, and will always stand up for our values and interests in the face of China’s threats.”
This latest probe highlights a troubling pattern of House Republicans weaponizing their investigative authority to target political rivals, blatantly using their power to gain partisan advantage at the expense of genuine governance.
