PREMIERE ON FOX: A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official told colleagues that Vice President Kamala Harris The decision to nominate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as his vice presidential candidate “fuels” activities the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was carrying out “with him and the local government,” warning that Beijing could “target” him for exert influence on American politics.

Chairman of the House Oversight Committee James ComerR-Ky., launched an investigation in August into Walz’s alleged “long-standing” ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Last month, Comer subpoenaed DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for records relating to these alleged connections after a whistleblower informed the committee of the existence of an unlicensed Microsoft Teams group chat. classified among DHS employees, as well as additional intelligence reports that allegedly contained information regarding the Walz case. alleged ties to the CCP.

COMER INVOLVES DHS IN FILES RELATING TO WALZ’S ALLEGED TIES TO CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY

Minnesota Governor and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz speaks during a campaign rally at Burns Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

On Tuesday, Comer wrote a letter to Mayorkas, making public the fact that DHS has not responded to the subpoena.

Today, Comer unilaterally released a portion of internal DHS communications she received from the whistleblower.

“Walt (sic) got the Vp,” the message read, with the sender’s identity redacted. “You have no idea how that feeds into what the RPC is doing here with him and local government.”

The official added: “This is seriously a tip line. Target someone who is perceived to have access to Washington DC.”

Message from a DHS employee on Microsoft Teams provided to the House Oversight Committee by a whistleblower.

“The Committee is releasing the above message as an example of communications in the possession of DHS in which DHS officials express concerns that the CCP is targeting politicians and their influence operations at the state and local levels – and specifically , their concerns regarding CCP influence operations as they relate to Governor Walz,” Comer wrote in a letter to Mayorkas on Tuesday.

Comer explained that the message was sent via a Microsoft Teams group chat among DHS employees titled “NST NFT Bi-Weekly Sync,” the same chat identified in Comer’s subpoena.

Meanwhile, Comer said a whistleblower provided additional information to the committee indicating that officials from the DHS Office of Homeland Security Intelligence and Analysis and Investigations had been involved in the work of investigation and/or intelligence agency related to the CCP, the State of Minnesota and Waltz.

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, speaks during a hearing in Washington, DC, Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“The Committee’s concerns about CCP elite capture operations aimed at influencing public officials like Governor Walz have intensified given recent reports of Governor Walz’s extensive travel, unusual interactions in the The People’s Republic of China, and his recent failure to answer fundamental questions about his involvement in China,” Comer wrote.

Comer also subpoenas all intelligence briefing reports and regional intelligence memos from November 2023 to the present related to Walz.

Last month, Comer revealed that Walz had “engaged and partnered with” Chinese entities, making him “vulnerable” to the CCP’s “elite capture” strategy, which seeks to co-opt influential Chinese figures. elite political, cultural, and academic circles to “influence the United States for the benefit of the communist regime and to the detriment of Americans.” »

HOUSE SURVEILLANCE INVESTIGATES WALZ INTO “LONG-TERM CONNECTIONS” WITH CHINA

Comer pointed to reports that Walz, while working as a teacher in the 1990s, organized a trip to China for students at Alliance High School. The costs were allegedly “paid by the Chinese government”.

Comer is investigating the private company founded by Walz in 1994, called Educational Travel Adventures, Inc., which coordinated annual student trips to China until 2003 and was managed by Walz.

Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz shakes hands with comedian George Lopez before Walz speaks at a campaign event at Trevor Browne High School on Saturday, October 26, 2024 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

The company was reportedly “disbanded four days after he took office in Congress in 2007.”

Comer said Walz traveled to China about “30 times.”

Comer also highlighted Walz’s time in Congress, when he was a fellow at the Polytechnic University of Macau — a Chinese institution that characterizes itself as having a “long-standing dedication and love for the motherland.”

In 2019, Walz headlined the 27th National Convention of the Chinese People’s Friendship Association of America in Minnesota. Walz also spoke alongside the chairman of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. A year later, the State Department denounced this organization as “a Beijing-based organization responsible for co-opting subnational governments,” including efforts to “directly and maliciously influence national and local leaders to promote “PRC’s global agenda,” the House Oversight Committee said. revealed.

APPOINTMENT OF WALZ WITH APPARENT TIES TO CCP COULD EXPOSE VEEP’S POTENTIAL WEAKNESS IN NATIONAL SECURITY, LAWSIBILITY SAYS

Additionally, in March this year, Walz had a meeting with Consul General Zhao Jian to discuss “China-US relations and subnational cooperation.”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Democratic vice presidential candidate, speaks during a campaign stop Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

As for the subpoena, Comer said DHS was “unresponsive” and was not acting in “good faith.”

Comer said DHS “failed to produce compliant documents.”

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Last week, Comer said he spoke with the DHS senior adviser for legislative affairs in a phone call on Oct. 21, but said that official “provided no substantive information, nor any assurance that information substantial amounts would be available.

“DHS has been completely unresponsive and the Committee is considering all available options,” Comer wrote. “The documents covered by the Committee’s subpoena will illuminate the Committee’s understanding of the CCP’s political warfare against the United States and the effectiveness with which federal agencies thwart the Communist regime’s undercover operations.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Harris-Walz campaign and DHS for comment.