Republicans demand FBI records on Walz’s China ties

House Republicans are raising concerns over Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s ties to communist China, questioning his frequent travels, business connections, and praise for the country’s political system.

These concerns have intensified since Walz was reportedly handpicked by Vice President Kamala Harris as a potential running mate, placing his foreign relations under heightened scrutiny.

Walz, who claims to have visited China around 30 times, has long maintained a professional relationship with the country. His involvement includes founding an education company that sponsors annual student trips to China.

These activities have sparked concern among some lawmakers, including House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), who suggests that Walz’s ties resemble a foreign influence operation by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Comer has demanded answers from the FBI about the governor’s connections to China, accusing the Bureau of obstructing an investigation into the matter.

In a recent letter, Comer criticized the FBI for ignoring a previous request for information on Walz’s China ties.

“The deadline to produce such documents and information has passed, and the Bureau has failed to provide any response to the Committee,” Comer wrote.

He called the FBI’s silence on the issue “inexcusable” and reiterated his demand for documents that would help the committee understand the extent of Walz’s relations with CCP-affiliated entities.

A significant point of concern is Walz’s involvement with the Hormel Institute, a research lab in Minnesota with connections to China.

As a member of Congress, Walz helped secure $2 million in federal funding for the lab, which has since come under scrutiny due to its ties to the Beijing Genomics Institute, a company the Pentagon considers an affiliate of the Chinese military.

In 2019, the Hormel Institute’s director, Dr. Zigang Dong, resigned amid an FBI investigation into his alleged failure to report foreign backing.

Walz was previously praised by Dong for securing the funding, further fueling concerns about the nature of his relationship with China.

The Hormel Institute has also faced criticism for its collaboration with the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the Chinese laboratory suspected by many to be the source of the COVID-19 pandemic.

FBI Director Christopher Wray has publicly stated that the virus likely leaked from a Chinese government lab, intensifying concerns over Walz’s ties to institutions linked to China’s research efforts.

Despite this, the FBI has yet to respond to Comer’s inquiries about Walz’s involvement with these Chinese entities.

House Republicans recently passed bipartisan legislation to sanction the Beijing Genomics Institute, accusing the company of collecting Americans’ DNA as part of its operations.

This legislation reflects broader concerns about China’s influence on U.S. institutions and the potential for espionage.

Walz’s association with the Hormel Institute and its Chinese partners has only added to these worries, especially given the growing tension between the U.S. and China over security issues.

Adding a personal dimension to the controversy, Walz’s choice to marry his wife Gwen on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre has drawn attention.

Gwen Walz reportedly said her husband chose the date because he wanted it to be a “date to remember,” raising questions about his attitude toward China’s political history. Additionally, as a high school teacher,

Walz once described Chinese communism as a system where “everyone shares,” remarks that some critics have interpreted as sympathetic to the CCP.

As the FBI continues to delay its response to Comer’s requests, pressure is mounting for more transparency about Walz’s connections to China. Republicans in the House argue that understanding the full extent of Walz’s ties to the CCP is crucial, particularly as tensions between the U.S. and China escalate.

Whether or not the FBI will eventually provide the requested documentation remains uncertain, but the issue is likely to remain a point of contention as Walz’s political career progresses.

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Joe Messina

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