by Leslie Eastman at legalinsurrection.com
Republican-led House Oversight and Accountability Committee concerned that Kerry’s activities could undermine American interests.
Special Presidential Envoy for Climate (SPEC) John Kerry’s secretive eco-negotiations with his Chinese counterparts is now being probed by the Republican-led House Oversight and Accountability Committee, per a recently issued letter chairman of that committee, John Comer (Rep, KY).
Comer informed Kerry in a letter sent Thursday afternoon that the committee, under his leadership, has opened an investigation into Kerry’s role in the Biden administration and, in particular, his high-level climate negotiations with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). To date, Kerry has ignored information and document requests from Comer and other committee Republicans sent when they were in the minority.
“To date, you have failed to respond to any of our requests,” Comer wrote to Kerry. “Yet, you continue to engage in activities that could undermine our economic health, skirt congressional authority, and threaten foreign policy under the guise of climate advocacy.”
In his letter, Comer cited a May 2022 interview with the Associated Press in which Kerry acknowledges working with the Chinese to form a group to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In an interview with The Associated Press during the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Kerry said the two nations, the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases, were close to agreeing on the structure of the group and how decisions would be made.
“We are going to work on the practicalities of how we move faster” to reduce emissions, said Kerry. “Maybe we can help with technology of some kind to help China move faster. Maybe China could help us better understand some things we could do better.”
Comer expressed serious concern about the level of US commitment associated with negotiations and Kerry’s priorities