MSNBC hosts, analysts fret over Republicans investigating intelligence agencies
Nicolle Wallace, Rachel Maddow and more worried about the formation of a new House committee to oversee investigations from the FBI, DOJ.
MSNBC hosts and analysts sounded the alarm about the potential for Republicans to investigate intelligence agencies leading up to the passage of a new House select committee, suggesting any probes were nothing short of seditious.
The House of Representatives passed a resolution on Tuesday establishing a new Judiciary subcommittee tasked with reviewing how the executive branch has investigated and collected information on American citizens.
Over a single day, prominent figures on the network, such as Rachel Maddow and Joy Reid, fretted that the new committee would undermine faith in American institutions and the integrity of federal investigations.
During an appearance on "Deadline: White House," ex-GOP congressman David Jolly – now reliably liberal, like many former Republicans on the network – referred to the new resolution as an "insurrection committee."
Left-wing MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace fumed this week about pending GOP investigations of U.S. intelligence agencies. ((Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images))
He also claimed that every time the GOP attempts to reign in or criticize the Justice Department, there is a "violent reaction."
Host Nicolle Wallace, a former Bush White House aide who is now one of the most rabidly liberal figures on the network, told Jolly that Republicans are creating a political climate where political violence is not just tolerated, but "preferable" to running legitimate elections. She also called the move by the GOP "norm-busting" and "reprehensible."
In response to a tweet from Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., which expressed his hope that the new "Church-style committee" will curb "the weaponization of the federal government," Jolly also took to Twitter to claim that the committee will "attack and shred" the government.
"With all the focus on the House rules being given away to the Freedom Caucus et al, this development below may be the most consequential - a new House Committee to attack and shred the federal government, undermining confidence for millions of Americans in our self-governance," he tweeted.
Earlier in the day on "Morning Joe," co-host Joe Scarborough said conservatives who have distanced themselves from the current Republican Party have asked him what the Senate can do to protect the "institutions that keep Americans safe."
Broadcast journalist Rachel Maddow during an interview with host Jimmy Fallon on Monday, October 10, 2022. (Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)
"What can you guys do? What can you senators do to protect America from the extremists that put Kevin McCarthy in power, so they don't slash the military budget, so they don't attack the FBI, so they don't defund the FBI. What can you guys do?" he asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Rachel Maddow referred to the new committee as a "sleeper" story that had largely passed by the eyes of the media and questioned what may come of future investigations.
"What would happen if two branches of our government went to war over active criminal investigations into a former president that could potentially put him in prison? What if it gets left to the pro-Trump conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court to settle that conflict?," she pondered.
"The ReidOut" host Joy Reid similarly described the committee as an "investigating of the investigations," which includes ongoing criminal investigations at the Justice Department into Donald Trump.
The Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government passed the House 221-211. It will be led by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who will also chair the full Judiciary Committee. The subcommittee will consist of 15 members-- nine Republicans and six Democrats.
AG GARLAND APPOINTS SPECIAL COUNSEL TO INVESTIGATE BIDEN CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS
The FBI seal is displayed on a podium before a news conference at the agency's headquarters in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
MSNBC hosts, analysts, and guests have previously lambasted Republicans for criticizing intelligence agencies, especially the FBI, which some Republicans have claimed is partisan and needs to have its budget slashed.
Following the FBI raid on former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate last year, the FBI and DHS stated they had seen an increase in "violent threats" against law enforcement and government personnel.
The report saw Peter Wehner, a contributing writer for The Atlantic, liken the Republican Party to a "dagger pointed at the throat of American democracy" during an August 2022 appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
A week prior, former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele said that people should assume all Republicans are "dangerous until proven otherwise" on the channel.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.