Rep. King Leads Charge to Introduce Resolution of Inquiry

By Jackie Kucinich
Roll Call Staff
May 6, 2009, 1:53 p.m.

House Republican leaders will introduce a "resolution of inquiry" on Wednesday, demanding that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano release information on a report that refers to "right-wing extremists" as potential terrorists.

Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, has led the charge to get the Department of Homeland Security to disclose the methods and research it used to produce the controversial report.

"We have made repeated requests that the committee hold a bipartisan oversight hearing, but unfortunately those requests have been ignored," King said. "We are left with no other alternative but to demand answers from the secretary of Homeland Security herself."

If adopted, the resolution of inquiry would give Napolitano 14 days to provide Congress with the requested materials.

Co-sponsors of the resolution of inquiry include Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.) and several Republican members of the Homeland Security Committee.

Republicans are not the only Members calling for an explanation about how the DHS arrived at their conclusion that "rightwing extremist activity" was a threat to the country.

In a letter on April 14, Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) also requested that Napolitano provide the committee with additional details about how the report arrived at its conclusion.

"I am disappointed and surprised that the Department would allow this report to be disseminated to its state, local and tribal partners in its present form," Thompson wrote in the letter.

Thompson’s office did not return an immediate request for comment.