Tulsi Gabbard and ex-FBI agents among witnesses called for ‘weaponization’ panel’s first hearing
Sarah Westwood
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A subcommittee formed to probe the “weaponization” of the federal government will speak with two former FBI agents about the politicization of the bureau on Thursday during its first hearing.
Former FBI agents Thomas Baker and Nicole Parker are set to testify on a second panel of witnesses after current and former lawmakers speak on the first, a person familiar with the plans told the Washington Examiner.
Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley (IA) and Ron Johnson (WI), along with former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI), will testify to the subcommittee on an opening panel about how the federal government has worked to target political enemies.
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Grassley and Johnson each have experience probing the government; Johnson is the ranking member on the investigations subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Grassley previously chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The second panel of witnesses will feature the former agents, Baker and Parker, as well as Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University law professor who has been outspoken about what he describes as government censorship.
Led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), who also chairs the House Judiciary Committee, the weaponization subcommittee was created to look into accusations of bias against conservatives within the federal government.
Republicans had pointed fingers at the Justice Department for its aggressive pursuit of conservative figures during the Trump administration, and their allegations have only gotten more heated over the past several months due to controversies over the FBI’s focus on parents at school board meetings, its failure to prioritize the many attacks against anti-abortion centers, and its seemingly lenient treatment of President Joe Biden in a classified documents case, among other charges.
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But the subcommittee hearing this week could focus more broadly on establishing the need for the effort rather than on any specific line of inquiry.
Jordan has said the Judiciary Committee has spoken with at least a dozen FBI whistleblowers about politicization within the bureau, testimony that could ultimately shape the direction of the weaponization subcommittee’s investigation.
Fox News reported the full witness list.