Some Republicans have raised concerns about apparent ties between Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, and the communist regime in China.

That includes House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY), who just issued a subpoena to the Department of Homeland Security demanding information in its possession about alleged links between Walz and the Chinese Communist Party, Fox News reported.

The subpoena is part of ongoing investigations the committee previously opened on the governor specifically and the CCP's subversive efforts to co-opt and influence U.S. politicians more broadly.

Subpoena issued

In a Monday press release, Chairman Comer shared that he'd sent a letter and subpoena to DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas for all "intelligence reports, documents, and communications in its possession" that were related to Gov. Walz and communist China, particularly a "non-classified, Microsoft Teams group chat among DHS employees" that he'd been alerted to be a whistleblower.

"The Committee has recently received whistleblower disclosures informing the Committee of serious concern among Department of Homeland [Security] personnel regarding a longstanding connection between the CCP and Minnesota Governor Timothy James Walz," Comer wrote.

"Specifically, through whistleblower disclosures, the Committee has learned of a non-classified, Microsoft Teams group chat among DHS employees -- titled ‘NST NFT Bi-Weekly Sync’ -- that contains information about Governor Walz that is relevant to the Committee’s investigation," he continued. "The Committee has also learned that further relevant information regarding Governor Walz has been memorialized in both classified and unclassified documents in the control of DHS."

"CCP’s political warfare ... must be urgently addressed"

Chairman Comer said, "The Committee’s investigation of the CCP -- begun long before Governor Walz was elevated to be the vice-presidential candidate for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris -- seeks to understand the extent of the CCP’s infiltration and influence campaign and to identify legislative reforms to combat CCP political warfare targeting prominent Americans for elite capture."

"If a state governor and major political party’s nominee for Vice President of the United States has been a witting or unwitting participant in the CCP’s efforts to weaken our nation, this would strongly suggest that there are alarming weaknesses in the federal government’s effort to defend the United States from the CCP’s political warfare that must be urgently addressed," he continued.

"The information required of DHS by the Committee’s subpoena will inform the Committee’s understanding of how successful the CCP has been in waging political warfare in and against the United States, how effectively federal agencies are addressing the communist regime’s campaign, and what reforms are necessary to counter this threat," Comer added.

Previously requested info from FBI

It was in mid-August that the House Oversight Committee launched its investigation of Gov. Walz's "extensive engagement" with communist Chinese entities and individuals shortly after he was picked to be Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate.

"The CCP has sought to destroy the United States through coordinated influence and infiltration campaigns that target every aspect of American life, including our own elected officials," Comer wrote in a letter at that time to FBI Director Chris Wray. "Americans should be deeply concerned that Governor Walz, Kamala Harris’s vice-presidential running mate, has a longstanding and cozy relationship with China."

"Mr. Walz has visited China dozens of times, served as a fellow at a Chinese institution that maintains a devotion to the CCP, and spoke alongside the President of a Chinese organization the State Department exposed as a CCP effort to influence and co-opt local leaders," he added. "FBI briefers recently informed the Committee that the Bureau’s Foreign Influence Task Force investigates CCP activity that is similar to China’s engagement with Governor Walz. The American people deserve to fully understand how deep Governor Walz’s relationship with China goes."

"FBI's silence" about Walz and China "inexcusable"

Unfortunately, Chairman Comer revealed in a mid-September release that his request a month earlier to the FBI for relevant information about Gov. Walz's links to China's communist regime went unanswered, and said in a follow-up letter to Dir. Wray, "The FBI’s silence regarding Mr. Walz’s documented relations with CCP affiliates is inexcusable. The Committee must understand the full extent of Mr. Walz’s ties to the CCP."

It is unclear if Comer plans to similarly issue a subpoena to the FBI as he did to DHS to satisfy the committee's demands for information about Walz and China.