China saw Tim Walz as a ‘target’ before VP pick and ‘someone they can get to DC’: Internal DHS message

The Chinese Communist Party saw Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz arsenic a premier “target” for their power operations successful nan US, according to soul Department of Homeland Security communications shared nan aforesaid time that Vice President Kamala Harris picked him arsenic her moving mate.

“You each person nary thought really this feeds into what prc [the People’s Republic of China] has been doing present pinch him and section gov,” a DHS charismatic wrote Aug. 6 connected an soul “Nation State Threat — National Functional Team” chat, which a whistleblower precocious disclosed to a legislature committee.

“It’s earnestly a statement of nan intel,” nan charismatic added pinch alarm. “Target personification who is perceived they tin get to DC.”

The House Oversight Committee released nan connection aft Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and his agency were “wholly unresponsive” to records requests astir Walz’s China ties, which committee Chairman James Comer said “raises superior concerns astir nan Department’s fulfillment of its ngo to resolutely protect nan nation’s homeland.”

“The Committee is releasing nan supra connection arsenic an illustration of communications wrong DHS’s possession successful which DHS officials definitive interest astir nan CCP targeting politicians and their power operations astatine nan authorities and section levels—and specifically, concerns astir nan CCP’s power operations arsenic they subordinate to Governor Walz,” Comer (R-Ky.) wrote successful a Tuesday missive to Mayorkas.

“A whistleblower has provided further accusation to nan Committee that indicates officials from DHS’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) person been progressive successful nan Department’s investigative and/or intelligence activity connected pinch nan CCP, nan authorities of Minnesota, and Governor Walz,” Comer added.

The whistleblower divulged that DHS besides had accusation connected Walz “memorialized successful some classified and unclassified documents,” according to nan chairman’s Sept. 30 missive accompanying nan subpoena.

The connection comes 1 time aft an alleged ex-girlfriend of Walz, who met nan early congressman and politician successful China successful 1989, said their tumultuous narration drove her to nan brink of suicide aft he hinted astatine a matrimony connection that ne'er came to pass.

The woman, Jenna Wang, was a girl of a Chinese Communist Party charismatic and nan 2 met while Walz was school American history and English astatine a precocious schoolhouse successful Foshan, Guangdong Province.

Republicans person homed successful connected astatine slightest 30 visits by Walz, who speaks Mandarin, to China, a twelve of which occurred while he was besides serving successful nan Army National Guard.

“Any individual walking dozens of times to an adversary federation successful a individual capacity while having entree to classified accusation poses an evident information risk,” Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) wrote successful an August missive to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin astir Walz’s trips arsenic a senior-ranking Guardsman betwixt 1989 and 2005.

Walz besides falsely claimed respective times while serving successful Congress that he was in Hong Kong preparing to spell to Foshan astatine nan clip of nan Tiananmen Square massacre connected June 4, 1989, but later claimed that he “misspoke” and really arrived successful China later that year.

“I’ve tried to do nan champion I can, but I’ve not been perfect, and I’m a knucklehead astatine times, but it’s ever been astir that those aforesaid group elected maine to Congress for 12 years,” nan erstwhile rep admitted in his Oct. 1 statement against GOP vice statesmanlike nominee JD Vance.

Walz joined his woman Gwen connected nan 5th day of nan Tiananmen Square atrocity, “a day he’ll ever remember” his woman said, according to the Guardian.

In interviews since those days, Walz has said he “will ne'er beryllium treated that good again” arsenic he was arsenic an coach successful China and said favorably of nan economical conditions successful nan Communist nation.

“It intends that everyone is nan aforesaid and everyone shares,” he told Nebraska’s Alliance Times-Herald successful 1991. “The expert and nan building worker make nan same. The Chinese authorities and nan spot they activity for supply lodging and 14 kg, aliases astir 30 pounds of rice, per month. They get nutrient and housing.”

US intelligence officials person many times warned successful predetermination briefings this twelvemonth that China is chiefly seeking to influence authorities and section authorities officials alternatively than those moving for national office.

Comer has reiterated his demands for each records by Nov. 4 — nan time earlier nan predetermination — connected nan soul group chat betwixt July 1 and nan coming and immoderate Intelligence Information Reports aliases Regional Intelligence Notes betwixt November 2023 and nan present.

He besides asked for DHS Office of Legislative Affairs elder advisor Jacob Marx to beryllium for a transcribed interview.

Reps for DHS and nan Harris-Walz run did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.