United States House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government

Last updated

United States House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government
Select committee
Seal of the United States House of Representatives.svg
United States House of Representatives
118th Congress
History
FormedJanuary 10, 2023
Leadership
Chair Jim Jordan (R)
Since January 10, 2023
Ranking member Stacey Plaskett (D)
Since January 10, 2023
Structure
Seats21
Political partiesMajority (12)
  •   Republican (12)
Minority (9)
Jurisdiction
PurposeTo investigate the executive branch's authority to investigate U.S. citizens and gather information, as well as its ability to obtain information from or shared with the private sector. [1]
Senate counterpartNone

    The United States House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government is a select subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee created by the House on January 10, 2023. Established to investigate alleged abuses of federal authority, including collusion between federal agencies and private sector entities to suppress conservative viewpoints, the committee has broad authority to subpoena law enforcement and national security agencies, including with regard to ongoing criminal investigations.

    Contents

    The subcommittee is chaired by Representative Jim Jordan, who also chairs the Judiciary Committee. [2] [3]

    Background and creation

    After his presidency, Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence was searched by the FBI as part of an investigation into presidential documents he had removed from the White House but declined to return under subpoena. The Republican Party widely criticized both the search and the investigation, with eventual House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeting on August 9, 2022, "When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts, and leave no stone unturned." [4] As part of his concessions during his eventual, after 15 ballots, successful bid to become Speaker of the 118th Congress, McCarthy promised members of the Republican Freedom Caucus to create a subcommittee to investigate actions taken by federal agencies and the Biden administration. [5] [2] Representative Dan Bishop made it a key concession McCarthy would need to make in exchange for his vote during the Speaker elections. [6]

    Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH), chair of the Select Subcommittee. Jim Jordan official photo, 114th Congress.jpg
    Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH), chair of the Select Subcommittee.

    Beginning in the Trump presidency, many Republicans have raised concerns regarding perceived censorship of conservative views on Big Tech platforms. They have cited the Hunter Biden laptop controversy as a major example, and the Twitter Files as purported evidence. In the months leading up to the 2022 congressional elections, Jordan made multiple appearances on Fox News and Newsmax, accusing content moderation systems at Big Tech companies to be biased and praised the Twitter Files, a series of documents detailing alleged collusion between Twitter and the federal government. In December 2022, prior to Republicans taking control of the House, Jordan wrote a letter to five of the largest tech companies, requesting they hand over correspondence between the Biden administration and their respective companies. [7] Jordan subpoenaed the companies in February 2023. [8]

    In a 221–211 vote on January 10, 2023, the House passed House Resolution 12, "Establishing a Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government as a select investigative subcommittee of the Committee on the Judiciary". The subcommittee will have the power to issue subpoenas and access to sensitive national security information available to the House Intelligence Committee.

    Members, 118th Congress

    MajorityMinority

    Reactions

    Republicans have compared the Subcommittee to the 1975 Church Committee formed by Democrats to investigate the abuse of civil liberties by American intelligence agencies. [1]

    Members of the Democratic caucus have referred to it as the "tin foil hat committee". [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] Jerry Nadler, the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, said the subcommittee is "fueled by conspiracy theories and slated to be run by the most extreme members of the MAGA caucus," unlike the Church Committee which he said was "a serious and bipartisan attempt to reform the conduct of the intelligence community, based on hard and verifiable evidence." [14] [15]

    Progressive "Squad" House members called the committee the "Insurrection Protection Committee" and "a fascist power grab to evade accountability". [16]

    Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin said in response to the formation of the subcommittee that the Republicans are "at risk of congressional overreach" [6] and Democrats in general are concerned about the wide mandate given to the subcommittee. [6]

    Developments

    Chairman Jordan sent letters to multiple Biden Administration officials from Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Education, [17] including Attorney General Merrick Garland and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray on January 17, 2023, that before Republicans took control of the House, they had asked the DOJ and FBI for information and documents but had not received them, but "this stonewalling must stop" now that Republicans control committees. [18] [19] The subcommittee was authorized to subpoena materials related to ongoing criminal investigations. In response to Jordan's letter three days later, the DOJ wrote "longstanding Department policy prevents us from confirming or denying the existence of pending investigations in response to congressional requests or providing non-public information about our investigations." [20] The DOJ cited a 1982 directive by President Ronald Reagan [21] that the DOJ would try to cooperate with congressional oversight requests but reserved the right of executive privilege and would invoke it "only in the most compelling circumstances." The DOJ wrote it was prepared to meet with the committee to discuss the matter. [22]

    Eschewing a meeting, Jordan issued the subcommittee's first subpoenas on February 3, to the Justice Department, FBI and Department of Education. The subpoenas demanded documents related to a 2021 directive issued by the Justice Department to step up coordination with local officials regarding a spate of aggressive and threatening behavior by parents at some school board meetings. A false narrative had developed among many Republicans that attorney general Merrick Garland had characterized the parents as "domestic terrorists" in the directive. That characterization had come from the National School Boards Association, though it did not ask the Biden administration to adopt it. [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28]

    On February 8, Carlos Uriarte, Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs, wrote to Jordan, "You have not yet responded to our offer. We have offered to engage with the Committee and provide information voluntarily, so a subpoena is premature." [29]

    First hearing

    The committee's first public hearing was held on February 9, 2023. Witnesses included Republican senators Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley; former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard; former FBI agents Thomas Baker and Nicole Parker; George Washington University law professor, and Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley; and Elliot Williams, a CNN legal analyst and Obama administration deputy assistant attorney general. [29]

    Democratic congressman Jamie Raskin was also invited to testify. He remarked that "millions of Americans already fear that weaponization is the right name for this special subcommittee — not because weaponization of the government is its target but because weaponization of the government is its purpose." [29]

    Jordan said in his opening statement that the committee would investigate concerns among Americans that multiple government agencies and Big Tech were acting to "suppress information and censor Americans." [29]

    In her opening remarks, Democratic ranking member Stacey Plaskett said she was "deeply concerned about the use of this select subcommittee as a place to settle scores, showcase conspiracy theories and advance an extreme agenda that risks undermining Americans' faith in our democracy." She added that Democrats would resist the subcommittee's authorization to examine ongoing criminal investigations that might "derail ongoing legitimate investigations into President Trump or any other President and others within his orbit." [29]

    Controversy around whistleblowers

    For months prior to creation of the subcommittee, Jordan had found that "dozens" of whistleblowers had contacted his office about alleged government abuses. Three whistleblowers provided private testimony prior the subcommittee being formed. In March 2023, Subcommittee Democrats released a 316-page report asserting the interviewed men did not meet the definition of a whistleblower and had engaged in partisan conduct that called their credibility into question, writing "each endorses an alarming series of conspiracy theories related to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, the Covid vaccine, and the validity of the 2020 election." According to the report, the witnesses provided little firsthand knowledge of wrongdoing or violation of law. [30] The report said they have ties to far-right Republican operatives and former Trump administration officials. Two of the men testified they received financial support from Trump loyalist Kash Patel and one said Patel arranged for him to get a new job at a conservative think tank. Jordan's spokesman alleged Democrats were misrepresenting the testimony in an effort to smear the witnesses. Democrats suggested the men were being characterized as "whistleblowers" to shield them from public scrutiny and asked Jordan to call them for public testimony. [31] [32] [33] [34]

    Second hearing

    Twitter Files authors Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenberger testified before the committee on March 9, 2023. [35] Both Taibbi and Schellenberger shared documents highlighting a range of concerns, from the White House pushing Twitter to censor Harvard epidemiologist Dr. Martin Kulldorf, to FBI officials urging suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story ahead of the 2020 presidential election. [36]

    Third hearing

    The subcommittee heard testimony from three self-proclaimed FBI whistleblowers on May 18, 2023. They had previously complained about ways the bureau had allegedly discriminated against conservatives. Two of the three witnesses, and a third man, had their security clearances revoked days before the hearing for participating in the January 6 attack, or for later expressing views about it that placed into question their "allegiance to the United States," according to the bureau. The three men had been suspended; NBC News reported in June that one of the men had been suspended because FBI internal investigators concluded he had leaked sensitive investigative information to the right-wing Project Veritas. [37] Two of the witnesses acknowledged receiving cash payments from Trump loyalist Kash Patel. [38] [39] [40]

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Jordan</span> American politician (born 1964)

    James Daniel Jordan is an American politician currently serving in his ninth term in the U.S. House of Representatives as the representative for Ohio's 4th congressional district since 2007.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability</span> Standing committee of the United States House of Representatives

    The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the main investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">William Barr</span> American attorney (born 1950)

    William Pelham Barr is an American attorney who served as the United States attorney general in the administration of President George H. W. Bush from 1991 to 1993 and again in the administration of President Donald Trump from 2019 to 2020.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Gaetz</span> American lawyer and politician (born 1982)

    Matthew Louis Gaetz II is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 1st congressional district since 2017. The district includes all of Escambia, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa counties, and portions of Walton County. A member of the Republican Party, he is widely regarded as a staunch proponent of far-right politics as well as an ally of former president Donald Trump.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Stacey Plaskett</span> United States Virgin Islands politician (born 1966)

    Stacey Elizabeth Plaskett is an American politician and attorney. She is a non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives from the United States Virgin Islands' (USVI) at-large congressional district, since 2015. Plaskett has practiced law in New York City, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Trump–Ukraine scandal</span> U.S. political scandal that began in 2019

    The Trump–Ukraine scandal was a U.S. political scandal that arose from the discovery of U.S. President Donald Trump's attempts to coerce Ukraine and other countries into providing damaging narratives about 2020 Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden and giving misinformation relating to Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections. Trump enlisted surrogates within and outside his official administration, including his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Attorney General William Barr, to pressure Ukraine and other foreign governments to cooperate in supporting conspiracy theories concerning American politics. Trump blocked payment of a congressionally-mandated $400 million military aid package in an attempt to obtain quid pro quo cooperation from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump released the aid after becoming aware of a whistleblower complaint about his activities relating to Ukraine, before the complaint was known by Congress or the public. A number of contacts were established between the White House and the government of Ukraine, culminating in a phone call between Trump and Zelenskyy on July 25, 2019.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump</span> 2019 Congressional process regarding U.S. President Trump

    The inquiry process which preceded the first impeachment of Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States, was initiated by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on September 24, 2019, after a whistleblower alleged that Donald Trump may have abused the power of the presidency. Trump was accused of withholding military aid as a means of pressuring newly elected president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to pursue investigations of Joe Biden and his son Hunter and to investigate a conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, was behind interference in the 2016 presidential election. More than a week after Trump had put a hold on the previously approved aid, he made these requests in a July 25 phone call with the Ukrainian president, which the whistleblower said was intended to help Trump's reelection bid.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">First impeachment trial of Donald Trump</span> 2020 trial in the US Senate

    The first impeachment trial of Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, began in the U.S. Senate on January 16, 2020, and concluded with his acquittal on February 5. After an inquiry between September and November 2019, President Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives on December 18, 2019; the articles of impeachment charged him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. It was the third impeachment trial of a U.S. president, preceded by those of Andrew Johnson and of Bill Clinton.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of investigations into Donald Trump and Russia (2020–2022)</span>

    This is a timeline of events from 2020 to 2022 related to investigations into the many suspicious links between Trump associates and Russian officials and spies relating to the Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections. It follows the timeline of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, both before and after July 2016, until November 8, 2016, election day, the transition, the first and second halves of 2017, the first and second halves of 2018, and the first and second halves of 2019.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Efforts to impeach Joe Biden</span> Attempts by Republicans to impeach the 46th president

    The 46th and current U.S. president Joe Biden has seen multiple efforts by some members of the Republican Party to impeach him, viewed as mostly in retaliation for the first and second impeachments of 45th U.S. president Donald Trump in 2020 and 2021, respectively. An impeachment inquiry against Biden was launched in September 2023, without a vote, by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who forwarded the inquiry to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2017–2018 Department of Justice metadata seizures</span> Seizure of two American congressmens personal data

    The United States Department of Justice under the Trump administration acquired by a February 2018 subpoena the Apple iCloud metadata of two Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee, several others associated with the committee, and some of their family members. The subpoena covered 73 phone numbers and 36 email addresses since the inception of the accounts. Seizing communications information of members of Congress is extraordinarily rare. The department also subpoenaed and obtained 2017 and 2018 phone log and email metadata from news reporters for CNN, The Washington Post and The New York Times. Apple also received and complied with February 2018 subpoenas for the iCloud accounts of White House counsel Don McGahn and his wife. Microsoft received a subpoena relating to a personal email account of a congressional staff member in 2017.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack</span> Bipartisan select committee of the U.S. House of Representatives

    The United States House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol was a bipartisan select committee of the U.S. House of Representatives established to investigate the U.S. Capitol attack.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of investigations into Donald Trump and Russia (July–December 2019)</span>

    This is a timeline of major events in second half of 2019 related to the investigations into the myriad links between Trump associates and Russian officials and spies that are suspected of being inappropriate, relating to the Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections. It follows the timeline of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections before and after July 2016 up until election day November 8, and the transition, the first and second halves of 2017, the first and second halves of 2018, and the first half of 2019, but precedes that of 2020 and 2021.

    Following the results of the 2020 United States presidential election, an obstruction scheme was devised by 45th U.S. president Donald Trump and his allies in seven key swing states to create and submit fraudulent certificates of ascertainment that falsely asserted Trump had won the electoral college vote in those states. The intent of the scheme was to pass the fraudulent certificates to then-vice president Mike Pence in the hope he would count them, rather than the authentic certificates, and thus overturn Joe Biden's victory. This effort was predicated on a fringe legal theory outlined by Trump attorney John Eastman in the Eastman memos, which claimed the vice president has constitutional discretion to swap official electors with an alternate slate during the certification process, thus changing the outcome of the electoral college vote and the overall winner of the presidential race. The scheme came to be known as the Pence Card. By 2023, many individuals in several states had been indicted for their alleged involvement, with other investigations underway.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Justice Department investigation into attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election</span> Criminal investigation of Trump 2020

    The United States Justice Department investigation into attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election began in early 2021 with investigations and prosecutions of hundreds of individuals who participated in the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol. By early 2022, the investigation had expanded to examine Donald Trump's inner circle, with the Justice Department impaneling several federal grand juries to investigate the attempts to overturn the election. Later in 2022, a special counsel was appointed. On August 1, 2023, Trump was indicted. The indictment also describes six alleged co-conspirators.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Smith special counsel investigation</span> Investigation into former U.S. president Donald Trump

    An ongoing special counsel investigation was opened by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on November 18, 2022, to continue two investigations initiated by the Justice Department (DOJ) regarding former U.S. President Donald Trump. Garland appointed Jack Smith, a longtime federal prosecutor, to lead the independent investigations. Smith was tasked with investigating Trump's role in the January 6 United States Capitol attack and Trump's mishandling of government records, including classified documents.

    Between November 2022 and January 2023, approximately 25 to 30 classified government documents were discovered by President Joe Biden's attorneys in his former office at the Penn Biden Center in Washington, D.C., and in his personal residence in Wilmington, Delaware, dating to his time in the Senate and his vice presidency in the Obama administration.

    The United States House Oversight Committee investigation into the Biden family is an ongoing investigation by the United States House of Representatives into whether US President Joe Biden is improperly involved in his family's foreign business practices, with some Republican representatives claiming suspicion of "international influence peddling schemes," bribery, money laundering and a Justice Department cover-up. The investigation has found no evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden, according to the House Republican inquiry's own report. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy nevertheless directed committee chairman James Comer to lead a formal three-committee impeachment inquiry in September 2023. The investigation was initiated on January 11, 2023, and includes examination of the foreign business activities of Biden's son, Hunter, and brother, James, as well as Twitter's involvement in the Hunter Biden laptop controversy.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Weiss special counsel investigation</span> Ongoing criminal investigation

    The Weiss special counsel investigation is an ongoing criminal investigation into Hunter Biden, the son of U.S. President Joe Biden. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the appointment of Delaware United States attorney David Weiss as the special counsel on August 11, 2023, three days after Weiss requested such authority.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden</span> 2023 U.S. presidential impeachment inquiry

    On September 12, 2023, Kevin McCarthy, the then-Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, announced an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. The inquiry will be conducted by the House's Judiciary, Oversight and Ways and Means committees. James Comer, chairman of the Oversight Committee, will lead the investigation.

    References

    1. 1 2 Wagner, John; Alfaro, Mariana (January 10, 2023). "Republican-led House votes to investigate the investigators". The Washington Post . Retrieved January 10, 2023.
    2. 1 2 Luke Broadwater; Catie Edmondson (January 10, 2023). "Divided House Approves G.O.P. Inquiry Into 'Weaponization' of Government". The New York Times.
    3. Kapur, Sahil (January 10, 2023). "House GOP eyes new committee to probe 'weaponization' of federal government". NBC News . Retrieved January 10, 2023.
    4. Lizza, Ryan; Daniels, Eugene (August 9, 2022). "POLITICO Playbook: After the search: GOP torches FBI, hugs Trump". Politico . Retrieved January 10, 2023.
    5. Grayer, Annie; Cohen, Zachary; Murray, Sara (January 10, 2023). "Biden's classified documents issue adds to House Republicans' growing list of investigations". CNN . Retrieved January 10, 2023.
    6. 1 2 3 Caldwell, Leigh Ann; Meyer, Theodoric; Raji, Tobi (January 11, 2023). "The Early 202: The most contentious committee in the new Congress". The Washington Post . Retrieved January 11, 2023.
    7. Kelly, Makena (January 10, 2023). "What a Speaker McCarthy means for Big Tech". The Verge . Retrieved January 10, 2023.
    8. Feiner, Lauren (February 15, 2023). "Key Republican subpoenas Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta and Microsoft, citing alleged collusion with the government to suppress speech". CNBC.
    9. "McCarthy's secret deal, George Santos, Biden and Trump docs, abortion prompt fiery debate in new Congress". USA Today. Retrieved January 12, 2023. Democrats are calling it the "tin foil hat committee," said Aguilar, who added that it is born of conspiracy theories.
    10. "Republicans led by Ohio's Jim Jordan vote to probe government 'weaponization;' Democrats decry 'tinfoil hats'". Cleveland. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
    11. "The most contentious committee in the new Congress". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 12, 2023. Democrats are calling it the "tinfoil hat committee" and the "insurrection protection committee" that will interfere with law enforcement.
    12. "Democrats planning to sit on all GOP select committees". Fox59. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
    13. "House GOP establishes committee targeting 'weaponization' of federal government with 'at least as much' funding as the January 6 committee". Businessinsider. Retrieved January 12, 2023. "We call that the tin foil hat committee," said House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar at a press conference.
    14. Savage, Charlie; Broadwater, Luke (January 8, 2023). "House Republicans Preparing Broad Inquiry Into F.B.I. and Security Agencies". The New York Times. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
    15. "Jim Jordan-led subcommittee charged with oversight of Biden admin 'weaponization' passes House" . Retrieved January 12, 2023.
    16. Corbett, Jessica (January 11, 2023). "House GOP 'Insurrection Protection Committee Is a Sham,' Says Pressley". www.commondreams.org. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
    17. "Chairman Jim Jordan Puts Biden Administration Officials on Notice About Outstanding Document Requests". January 17, 2023.
    18. "Dear Attorney General Garland" (PDF). House Judiciary Committee Republicans. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
    19. "Dear Director Wray" (PDF). House Judiciary Committee Republicans. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
    20. https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000185-d087-dde8-a9af-d4afeba70000
    21. https://www.justice.gov/ola/page/file/1090526/download
    22. Wu, Nicholas (January 20, 2023). "DOJ reserves right to not cooperate with certain House GOP requests". Politico.
    23. Annie Grayer; Sara Murray; Zachary Cohen; Marshall Cohen (February 3, 2023). "Jim Jordan issues first subpoenas targeting Biden administration's response to school board threats". CNN.
    24. Farley, Robert (April 22, 2022). "Attorney General Never Called Concerned Parents 'Domestic Terrorists'". Factcheck.org.
    25. Dale, Daniel (April 26, 2022). "Fact check: Kevin McCarthy keeps repeating false claim that attorney general called parents 'terrorists' for wanting to attend school board meetings". CNN.
    26. Greenberg, Jon (October 22, 2021). "No, the federal government isn't using the Patriot Act to treat parents like domestic terrorists". PolitiFact.
    27. Fraser, Terrence (October 5, 2021). "Posts mischaracterize school board organization's letter to Biden". Associated Press News.
    28. Luciano, Michael (February 3, 2023). "Laura Ingraham and Jim Jordan Repeat Falsehood That the DOJ Referred to School Parents as 'Terrorists'". Mediaite.
    29. 1 2 3 4 5 Mimms, Sarah; Nobles, Ryan; Talbot, Haley (February 9, 2023). "House committee on 'weaponization' of government kicks off with airing of grievances". NBC News.
    30. https://democrats-judiciary.house.gov/uploadedfiles/2023-03-02_gop_witnesses_report.pdf
    31. Luke Broadwater; Adam Goldman (March 2, 2023). "G.O.P. Witnesses, Paid by Trump Ally, Embraced Jan. 6 Conspiracy Theories". The New York Times.
    32. Annie Grayer; Alayna Treene (March 2, 2023). "Jim Jordan's first FBI whistleblowers face scrutiny from skeptical Democrats". CNN.
    33. Luciano, Michael (February 9, 2023). "Goldman Grills Jordan Over Claim He Met with 'Dozens' of Whistleblowers Claiming Feds Are Biased: 'No Notes, No Nothing?'". Mediaite.
    34. McDaniel, Justine (March 3, 2023). "Democrats challenge credibility of GOP witnesses who embrace false Jan. 6 claims". The Washington Post.
    35. Emily Brooks; Rebecca Klar (March 9, 2023). "'Weaponization' subcommittee members spar over 'Twitter Files'". The Hill.
    36. Jillian Smith (March 9, 2023). "House subcommittee spars over Twitter Files in hearing on government 'weaponization'". CBS Austin.
    37. Nobles, Ryan (June 8, 2023). "FBI agent who testified for Republicans was suspended over leaked sensitive information". NBC News.
    38. Ken Dilanian; Ryan J. Reilly (May 18, 2023). "GOP witnesses undermined Jan. 6 cases with conspiracy theories, FBI says". NBC News.
    39. Feuer, Alan (May 17, 2023). "F.B.I. Revokes Security Clearances of 3 Agents Over Jan. 6 Issues". The New York Times.
    40. Luke Broadwater; Adam Goldman (March 2, 2023). "G.O.P. Witnesses, Paid by Trump Ally, Embraced Jan. 6 Conspiracy Theories". The New York Times.