Topic: House Select Committee

A new House committee chaired by Mike Gallagher is focusing on threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party, including the surveillance balloon incident. Lawmakers, including Senator Marco Rubio, argue that TikTok poses a national security risk due to data collection and potential influence operations. The committee is seeking a bipartisan ban on the app, citing its ties to the CCP and its impact on American democracy.

The House Select Committee hired former ABC News President James Goldston to produce the January 6th hearings for a primetime television audience. This move is criticized as an attempt to use Hollywood-style production techniques and "media trickery" to dramatize a political proceeding. While CNN and MSNBC plan to carry the hearings live, Fox News has opted not to broadcast the event in primetime.

The House Select Committee investigating January 6th released text messages from Fox News host Sean Hannity to Mark Meadows expressing concern about the "next 48 hours" before the riot. While some media outlets linked these messages to Donald Trump's cancellation of a scheduled news conference, reports suggest the cancellation was actually due to advice from senior Republican senators.

The House Select Committee is seeking testimony from Roger Stone and Alex Jones regarding the January 6th Capitol events. Media coverage by Kelly Evans is analyzed for its description of Jones as a "conspiracy theorist." The hosts discuss the use of the term "podcaster" as a disparaging label by traditional media figures.

James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, submitted his letter of resignation to the House Select Committee on Intelligence. Clapper served as the fourth director of the agency and is expected to testify regarding cooperation between intelligence sources and the Defense Department. The hosts characterize the move as a standard departure ahead of the new administration.