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U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
07/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/08/2024 15:27
Comer Requests Transcribed Interviews with Climate Advisor Podesta and SPEC Employees
WASHINGTON-House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is today continuing the committee's investigation into the office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate (SPEC). After the Biden-Harris Administration has repeatedly suppressed records requests by the Oversight Committee regarding the SPEC office and its activities, the Oversight Committee is requesting transcribed interviews to assist in its investigation. In a letter to White House Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy John Podesta, Chairman Comer requests a transcribed interview regarding Mr. Podesta's transition to assume SPEC office responsibilities and coordination with former Climate Envoy John Kerry. In a letter to U.S. Department of State Secretary Blinken, Chairman Comer requests transcribed interviews with SPEC employees and raises the potential for compulsory process on outstanding document requests.
"The Biden Administration has taken affirmative actions to obfuscate oversight of the SPEC office by elevating you as a Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy, thereby insulating your new role. We believe that you have information that will assist us fully in understanding the coordination you maintain with both the Department and former Envoy Kerry on SPEC-related matters," Chairman Comer wrote to Mr. Podesta.
Since 2021, the House Oversight and Accountability Committee has made repeated requests related to Envoy Kerry's role, but the Administration only began producing documents after Chairman Comer threatened the compulsory process. In its investigation into the activities of the SPEC, the Oversight Committee has obtained information revealing that the State Department sought feedback from leftist environmental groups and enabled those groups to influence U.S. foreign policy. This raises significant concern that confidential information related to U.S. foreign policy, energy policy, and national security policy have been shared with these groups.
"The State Department has demonstrated a pattern of noncompliance with congressional inquiries which has prevented full transparency of the SPEC office's activities. Only after the threat of compulsory process did the Department release some documents and communications revealing a sophisticated and targeted coordination between leftist environmental groups and the SPEC office that undermines U.S. foreign policy, energy policy, and national security policy," Chairman Comer wrote to Secretary Blinken.
Read the letter to Mr. John Podesta here.
Read the letter to the Honorable Antony Blinken here.
Comer Probes Special Presidential Envoy for Climate's Collusion with Leftist Environmental Groups