Lawmakers Ask DOJ to Probe Group Lobbying for Sanctioned Chinese Drone Firm

The leaders of the House Select Committee on China asked DOJ last week to investigate the Drone Advocacy Alliance for illegally lobbying on behalf of, and promoting the “interests of,” sanctioned Chinese drone company DJI, which also is on the Commerce Department’s Entity List. Reps. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., and Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said the alliance is “funded and maintained” by DJI, and may be violating filing requirements under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

“Americans deserve heightened transparency when entities are lobbying Congress and the public in a campaign to prop up a [Chinese Communist Party] spy tool that facilitates genocide and arms the” Chinese military, the lawmakers said in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland.

DOJ and the Drone Advocacy Alliance didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.