Last month, the Republican Chair of the House China Committee, Mike Gallagher, successfully pushed for a bill requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest from the app or face a ban in the U.S. Just days before this achievement, it was reported that Gallagher was accepting a job at Palantir, a U.S. defense contracting firm known for its anti-TikTok stance. This raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest for Gallagher, as he did not recuse himself from the proceedings.
House rules require members to disclose job negotiations to the ethics office and to recuse themselves from any activity that might create a conflict of interest. Despite this, Gallagher’s negotiations disclosure was not public, raising questions about transparency and accountability. Palantir executives, who have been vocal in their opposition to TikTok, could benefit financially from increased tensions with the Chinese government, adding to the conflict of interest concerns.
It is rare for employment negotiation disclosures to appear in the House records system, with the last two instances occurring years ago. Gallagher’s decision to resign from Congress in the middle of a term further complicates the situation. While a representative for Gallagher stated that he complies with House Rules, concerns remain about the potential influence of his future employment at Palantir on his legislative work related to TikTok.
The bill championed by Gallagher received overwhelming support in the House, with President Biden expressing willingness to sign it into law. The bill would require ByteDance to divest from TikTok within 180 days or face a ban in the U.S. However, its fate in the Senate is uncertain as lawmakers consider a comprehensive privacy law that would affect not only TikTok but also other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Experts point out that the rules around disclosing employment negotiations in Congress are loose, with specific requirements about the stage of negotiations triggering the reporting requirement. TikTok and Palantir did not respond to requests for comment, leaving lingering questions about the potential conflicts of interest and transparency in Gallagher’s dealings. The situation highlights the complexities of government officials’ relationships with private companies, especially in the context of national security and foreign relations issues.
