Republicans subpoena Blinken to find out if he blocked sanctioning China after spy balloon incident
Republicans subpoena Antony Blinken for documents to find out if Secretary of State ‘obstructed’ sanctions against China after spy balloon incident
- Foreign Affairs Chairman subpoenaed documents related to State Department’s ‘obstruction’ of sanctions against China following spy balloon incident
- Michael McCaul claims Antony Blinken failed to implement planned sanctions and export controls because he wanted to keep in touch with the CCP
- China’s surveillance balloon was shot down by the US military after it flew over sensitive military sites in North America earlier this year
After the State Department repeatedly fails to comply with requests for documents, Speaker of the House of Foreign Affairs Michael McCaul subpoenaed the materials related to the Chinese spy balloon incident.
McCaul claims Secretary of State Antony Blinken failed to use sanctions and export controls to counter the “growing aggression” of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The Secretary of State is demanding that the Department provide documents related to “reported obstruction” for the use of these national security tools.
Documents could indicate whether the US deviated from plans to sanction China after its surveillance balloon passed over sensitive military sites in North America earlier this year.
The US military shot down the suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of Carolina in February after it flew over sensitive military sites.
Speaker of the House of Foreign Affairs Michael McCaul signed a subpoena on Wednesday for documents related to possible “obstruction” of State Department sanctions against China following the spy balloon incident
The US military shot down a Chinese spy balloon (pictured) earlier this year after it passed over sensitive military sites in North America
The Biden administration revealed that the balloon was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals as part of a military-linked air surveillance program targeting more than 40 countries.
China claims the flyover was an accident involving a civilian plane — and the CCP has threatened repercussions if they are punished for the incident.
Among the documents that Rep. McCaul of Texas demands are the State Department’s “competitive actions” calendars, a classified list of actions that Biden’s team devised to counter Chinese aggression after the hot air balloon overpass.
The plan included imposing sanctions on Chinese companies and implementing export controls – including on Chinese tech giant Huawei.
Initially, in May, McCaul asked Blinken to voluntarily hand over the documents.
McCaul’s office released an image of the lawmaker signing the subpoena on Wednesday.
“Given the State Department’s continued refusal to comply with my committee’s urgent request for critical information pertaining to China, I have no choice but to issue a subpoena,” President McCaul wrote in a statement on the subpoena.
“It is vital that the committee obtains these documents to shed light on the department’s reported failure to enforce US national security laws against CCP companies and human rights abusers,” he added. ‘The department must comply with the legal obligation, further obstruction and delay will not be tolerated.’
Chairman McCaul claims that Secretary of State Antony Blinken did not implement the planned sanctions and export controls because he wanted to continue contacts with the CCP. He claimed that Blinken had failed to comply with requests to voluntarily hand over the documents
McCaul claims the state did not issue sanctions over the balloon incident because Blinken wanted to continue communicating with Beijing despite heightened tensions.
As Republicans secured a majority in the House following the 2022 midterm elections, McCaul launched a series of investigations into the State Department.
One investigation examines classified diplomatic cables about the failed US withdrawal from Afghanistan and another investigates allegations that Biden’s special envoy to Iran, Rob Malley, mishandled classified information.
Matthew Miller, spokesman for the State Department, says the House Foreign Affairs Committee has registered 49 appointments with the State Department since January.