House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is calling for an investigation into the National Security Agency after Fox News’s Tucker Carlson alleged that the Biden administration is spying on him.
In a statement, McCarthy said Carlson's claims are part of a “disturbing trend” that he’s witnessed at the NSA over the last several months.
“Earlier this year, I sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Austin expressing concern over the politicization of the Agency through the sidelining of Michael Ellis as NSA General Counsel. I asked that Mr. Ellis be reinstated and expressed my concern regarding undue political influence in NSA placing Mr. Ellis on administrative leave,” the California Republican said.
“Separately, it has recently come to my attention that NSA has refused to deliver information requested by the Republican Members on the House Intelligence Committee who are trying to fulfill their oversight responsibilities.”
He then listed Carlson’s allegations against the NSA.
On Monday, the Fox News host spoke about how a whistleblower came forward to tell his team their electronic communications are being spied on and that the NSA is "planning to leak them in an attempt to take this show off the air."
“The whistleblower, who is in a position to know, repeated back to us information about a story that we are working on that could have only come directly from my texts and emails. There’s no other possible source for that information, period,” the host said. “The NSA captured that information without our knowledge, and did it for political reasons. The Biden administration is spying on us.”
The NSA has denied the allegations. But McCarthy still has “serious questions regarding this matter that must be answered.”
“Given this disturbing trend, I’ve asked HPSCI Ranking Member Devin Nunes to investigate and find answers on behalf of the American people,” McCarthy concluded. “The NSA cannot be used as a political instrument, and House Republicans will ensure accountability and transparency.”
For the past several months, I've seen a disturbing trend at the National Security Agency. The NSA cannot be used as a political instrument.
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) June 30, 2021
I’ve asked Rep. Devin Nunes to investigate and find answers on behalf of the American people.
My full statement: https://t.co/xPjG9i9u7A