New House committee on 'weaponization' of government holds its first hearing

WASHINGTON — The House's new subcommittee dedicated to probing the so-called weaponization of the federal government is holding its first hearing Thursday.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who chairs the panel, kicked off the event just after 12:30 p.m. EST by asking Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., to lead members in the pledge of allegiance.

Members are currently hearing testimony from the first panel of witnesses, which includes: Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, as well as former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who left the Democratic Party to become an independent and appears frequently on Fox News.

Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who served as a manager in former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial and on the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack, is the only Democratic member invited to speak as a witness Thursday.

The Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government was created by the new Republican House majority to investigate alleged discrimination by the federal government against conservatives. The panel is part of the House Judiciary Committee, also chaired by Jordan, and has subpoena power.

The subcommittee is formally tasked with investigating how the executive branch collects information on and investigates U.S. citizens "including ongoing criminal investigations" and is likely to take a look at the FBI’s August search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago home.

Jordan said in his opening statement Thursday that the committee will look into “concerns” he says Americans have about the Justice Department, including the FBI, as well as the Department of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and explosives, the IRS and big tech’s alleged moves to “suppress information and censor Americans.”

Going forward, the panel plans to hold more public hearings and take transcribed interviews from experts, government officials, members of the media, FBI whistleblowers and “Americans who’ve been targeted by their government,” Jordan said. The subcommittee will also propose legislation “that will help protect the American people,” he added. The panel is also required to submit a final report to the House on its findings by Jan. 2, 2025.

Del. Stacey Plaskett of the Virgin Islands, who serves as the panel's top Democrat, emphasized the importance of congressional oversight in her opening remarks Thursday, but said she is "deeply concerned about the use of this select subcommittee as a place to settle scores, showcase conspiracy theories and advanced an extreme agenda that risks undermining Americans faith in our democracy."

Plaskett warned that the "dangerous rhetoric and baseless accusations against the Justice Department and FBI" from some Republicans on the panel undermines their work, noting the rise in violent threats against federal law enforcement.

Plaskett, a former prosecutor who also served as a Trump impeachment manager, also said she was troubled by the committee's plans to probe ongoing criminal investigations, adding that Democrats will "resist" any attempts by the committee "to derail ongoing legitimate investigations into President Trump or any other President and others within his orbit."

The committee will hear from a second panel of witnesses on Thursday, including two former FBI agents, Thomas Baker and Nicole Parker, who have been critical of the bureau in recent years; George Washington University Law professor Jonathan Turley, a Fox News contributor who has also criticized the FBI and alleged social media censorship of conservatives; and Elliot Williams, a CNN legal analyst and former deputy assistant attorney general at the Justice Department during the Obama administration.

Ian Sams, spokesman for the White House counsel's office, called the panel a "Fox News reboot of the House Un-American Activities Committee with a political stunt that weaponizes Congress to carry out the priorities of extreme MAGA Republicans in Congress" in a statement Thursday morning.

"These extreme MAGA Republicans in Congress are choosing to make it their top priority to go down the rabbit hole of debunked conspiracy theories about a 'deep state' instead of taking a deep breath and deciding to work with the President and Democrats in Congress to improve Americans’ everyday lives," he added.

In addition to Jordan, the panel's 21 members include some high-profile GOP critics of President Joe Biden's administration, like Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Elise Stefanik of New York and Gaetz, who was quietly added to the committee last week. Plaskett is one of nine Democrats serving on the panel.

Just before Thursday's hearing, the Justice Department sent a letter to Jordan asking him to engage with DOJ on his long list of subpoena requests.

Carlos Uriarte, the assistant attorney general for legislative affairs, wrote that DOJ had requested a meeting to help comply with the Judiciary Committee’s requests "and identify a way to meet the Committee’s needs."

"You have not yet responded to our offer,” Uriarte wrote in the letter, which was obtained by NBC News. "We have offered to engage with the Committee and provide information voluntarily, so a subpoena is premature."

On Feb. 3, Jordan sent subpoenas to Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona asking for a broad swath of information pertaining to the Justice Department’s effort around heated school board meetings around the country. The subpoenas came after Jordan and the Judiciary Committee sent more than 100 other letters to various Biden administration officials as part of their investigations.

Russell Dye, a spokesman for Jordan, called the Justice Department's response "wholly inadequate" and "flawed" and said it "ignores the last two years of requests from our Committee."

"We expect full compliance with the subpoenas," he added.

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