REP. LIEU CALLS ON ATTORNEY GENERAL LYNCH TO INVESTIGATE POTENTIAL TARGETING OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D | Los Angeles) led over 20 of his House Democratic colleagues on a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch requesting an investigation into whether race and national origin were factors in the case of Sherry Chen, a Federal employee with the National Weather Service who was arrested on suspicion of espionage. Two months ago, all charges against Ms. Chen were abruptly dismissed. Beyond Ms. Chen's case, Congressman Lieu and his colleagues are seeking answers from Attorney General Lynch about whether race, national origin, religion or gender are being used by Federal agencies in targeting Federal employees.

The letter states:

"We thus request an investigation into Ms. Chen's case to determine whether race was used as a factor in her arrest. We also request an investigation to determine whether any federal agency has a written or unwritten policy, program, pattern or practice of using race (or other civil rights classifications such as religion, gender and national origin) in targeting federal employees for arrest, surveillance, security clearance denials or other adverse actions."

Full text of Congressman Lieu's letter can be found here.

###

**UPDATED: Click here to read the Department of Justice's response dated July 27, 2015.