United States: Republican representatives in the US House have voted to launch an investigation into what they term as Democratic President Mr. Joe Biden’s “weaponization” of the federal government.

The Republicans voted to create a panel to probe Biden administration investigations, including “ongoing criminal investigations” at the Justice Department such as those involving the former president, Mr. Donald Trump.

The party-line vote aimed at setting up a “Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government.” The body is set to launch an inquiry into Democrat Mr. Joe Biden’s administration, which Republicans accuse of “weaponizing the FBI against Mr. Trump.”

Republicans will further investigate claims that the Biden administration has forced big tech companies to censor views that violate White House policy. According to the bill establishing the panel, legislators would probe how the executive branch works with the private sector, nonprofit groups, and other agencies “to facilitate action against” American citizens.

“We need to get to work now. We must expose the abuses committed by the unelected, unaccountable federal bureaucracy,” Republican Mr. James Comer, head of the Oversight Committee, remarked in a speech on the House floor.

Democrats have begun questioning about a provision that authorises the committee to probe “ongoing criminal investigations”, which are generally outside the purview of congressional oversight.

“This is a violation of separation of powers, and it’s also very dangerous,” Mr. Jerrold Nadler, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, claimed.

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