House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has intensified his investigation into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's alleged ties to China, releasing internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) communications and accusing the agency of stonewalling the inquiry. Comer's latest move comes after the DHS failed to fully comply with a congressional subpoena demanding documents related to Walz's connections with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
In a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Comer highlighted the department's failure to respond adequately to the committee's request for information regarding Walz's purported ties to China. The subpoena had specifically sought internal communications from a DHS Microsoft Teams group chat and intelligence reports dating back to November 2023. In light of the DHS's lack of compliance, Comer publicly released a snippet of these internal messages, which were provided to his committee by a whistleblower.
One message, sent following Vice President Kamala Harris's announcement of Walz as her running mate in August, suggests that Walz's selection was significant in the context of Chinese influence. The DHS official noted in the group chat that Walz's nomination "feeds into what [the People's Republic of China] has been doing here with him and local gov," hinting at efforts by Beijing to target Walz for influence within the U.S. government. Comer alleges that DHS officials were concerned about these connections but that agency leadership is deliberately withholding documents that could further substantiate these claims.
"The DHS has been unresponsive to the subpoena, and the committee is now forced to release a small portion of the department's internal communications," Comer wrote. He also noted that the whistleblower provided more information suggesting that both the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis and Homeland Security Investigations have been involved in investigating Walz's links to the CCP, but that the department's leadership has sought to suppress these findings.
Comer's investigation into Governor Walz is part of a broader effort to scrutinize Chinese attempts to influence American officials at all levels of government. According to Comer, the concern over Walz stems from his extensive travel history to China and his involvement with Chinese educational and governmental entities. Walz, who took multiple trips to China during his tenure as a high school teacher in the 1990s, once headed a company that organized student trips to China. The governor has previously acknowledged his visits to China but downplayed their significance, characterizing some of his remarks about the trips as misstatements.
Comer's investigation also focuses on Walz's time as a congressman when he was affiliated with Macau Polytechnic University, an institution linked to China's Belt and Road Initiative. The Belt and Road Initiative, a cornerstone of China's economic and geopolitical strategy, has been criticized for its role in expanding Beijing's influence in foreign countries, raising concerns about Walz's involvement with the program.
The DHS subpoena issued by Comer's committee requested all documents related to Walz's alleged connections to the CCP, as well as internal communications about Walz within the department. Despite receiving a briefing from a senior DHS advisor in response to the subpoena, Comer expressed frustration that the department has not provided the requested documents. He has since escalated the matter by demanding that the DHS senior adviser testify behind closed doors.
"It appears 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," Comer said.
The revelations about Walz's alleged China ties come at a politically sensitive time, as the governor has faced accusations of engaging in inappropriate relationships while teaching in China. A recent report in the Daily Mail alleged that Walz had a secret relationship with the daughter of a high-ranking Chinese official in the late 1980s, further raising questions about his connections to the country.
Comer's investigation is part of the House Oversight Committee's broader effort to probe China's attempts to influence U.S. officials and institutions. Last month, Comer accused the FBI of similarly failing to cooperate with the investigation into Walz's alleged links to China. In addition to his investigation into Walz, Comer is also focused on Chinese influence operations targeting other public officials.
Comer's latest letter to Mayorkas suggests that his committee may pursue additional legal remedies to obtain the requested documents. "DHS has been wholly unresponsive, and the committee is considering all available options," Comer wrote.
