Lawmakers are interested in allegations made by Fox News host Tucker Carlson that the NSA was spying on him and his primetime news show.
Multiple opinion polls combined with Democrats' lackluster performance in this year's races point to a potential red wave come November, threatening President Joe Biden's chances of holding on to a slim majority in Congress.
GOP House Leader Kevin McCarthy is planning to send out preservation notices to several departments within the administration in preparation for a slew of investigations to take up the second half of Biden's first term, Axios reported.
That includes probes ranging from well-known GOP criticisms including Biden's handling of the pandemic, Afghanistan withdrawal and the border crisis.
They're also reportedly looking at an Internal Revenue Service leak and Fox News host Tucker Carlson's claims he was spied on by the National Security Agency.
McCarthy is working on recruiting legal counsel and advisers as well as other resources to embark on the investigations on Republicans' first day as the majority party, the report details.
One of those probes will allegedly be into the Biden Justice Department's crackdown on violence in educational settings. Attorney General Merrick Garland had directed the FBI to work with local law enforcement to tackle a 'disturbing trend' of violent outbursts against teachers and other school officials after a letter from the National School Boards Association (NSBA) likened angry parents to 'domestic terrorists,' which the group has since apologized for.
Another will explore Biden and his defense officials' decisions leading up to the military's withdrawal from Afghanistan over the summer, for which the president has received bipartisan criticism. They're also reportedly looking for information into Americans who were left stranded despite Biden's vow to remain a presence in Kabul until all US citizens were evacuated.
Republican lawmakers also plan to dive into the crisis at the southern border after illegal crossings reached a 21-year high in July and remain high above recent years' totals.
On the coronavirus pandemic, over which there's been fierce opposition to Biden's vaccine orders and mask mandates, GOP members of Congress want to look into the communications that led to school closures and face covering rules. They're also hoping to study the origins of COVID-19, despite a previous investigation by the World Health Organization coming up inconclusive due to China's lack of cooperation.
Republican lawmakers have saved particularly harsh criticism for Dr. Anthony Fauci, Biden's chief medical adviser, over allegations he green-lit funding for an experimental virus program in Wuhan, where the coronavirus first originated.
And in what seems to be departure from their expected political ambitions, the House GOP is curious about accusations Tucker Carlson made on his primetime program that the NSA was targeting him and his show.
Comment: Don't worry, the NSA themselves already have that one covered: The NSA's Inspector General opens investigation into allegations of illegal spying on Tucker Carlson
The NSA later released a statement claiming Carlson was never an intelligence asset nor has it 'had any plans to take his program off the air.'
According to the report Republicans also want to look into a leak of IRS data detailing how billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk pay little or none at all in taxes compared to their vast wealth.
The leak was reported in a bombshell ProPublica investigation exposing billionaires who dodge paying thousands or even millions of dollars.
McCarthy and his colleagues are also hoping to look into a Defense Department contract Amazon was trying to acquire for as much as $10 billion. Republican lawmakers claimed in June that a series of emails first obtained by the New York Times showed that the tech giant tried to use undue influence to win a cloud computing contract that eventually went to Microsoft.
The reported communications between Amazon and military officials took place under the Trump administration.
Reader Comments
CHARGE!
BK
Ah the rolla coasta ride has begun. Even if the Rep's take the house, no one will go to jail, it'll be shluffed aside in the war of words that will ensue.
Jan 6th was bad TV show, that had real repercussions. Hopefully the Demoncrats will get some bad medicine. [Link] I miss Sam (RIP)
I believe if the Supreme Court cares about the land, they will issue a quick decision.
In the absence of that I believe many individuals will be quitting their jobs and
lastly, I believe that would be a good thing because who
needs a bullshit job in the first place?
~
That is a fair question.
R.C.
RC
So, that is why I await the choice of the Supreme Court.
I hope they make the proper decision, but if they
linger, then it will be too late.
Simple.
As re the USSC, I'm kind of lost. Are you talking about the jab litigation case that was just lost at appeal level?
RC
So, now with respect to the jab litigation associated with OSHA codification of rules that not one time went through any sort of public hearing one must ponder is that the way of the future? If so, count me out.