US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), alongside Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Representative John Moolenaar (R-MI), is calling for a federal investigation into American multinational management consulting firm McKinsey & Company.
The conservative lawmakers claim they have unearthed evidence McKinsey concealed its cooperation with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) while simultaneously working with the US government.
In a letter sent to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the lawmakers accuse McKinsey of violating its duties as an American defense contractor by cooperating with the Chinese military.
“While providing consulting services that helped the PRC to rapidly develop its military and economy, McKinsey substantially increased its defense-related work with the U.S. government, granting it access to classified or otherwise sensitive national security data,” reads the letter.
Projects McKinsey was involved in allegedly include the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, the renewal and renovation of the U.S. Navy’s principal port facilities, and the U.S. Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Command.
Meanwhile, McKinsey assisted the CCP in various projects and has over 1,000 employees servicing Chinese government institutions and companies.
Additionally, the lawmakers condemn McKinsey officials for denying cooperation with McKinsey during congressional hearings.
“McKinsey not only failed to make necessary disclosures but actively concealed its sensitive work for the PRC government in testimony before Congress,” continues the letter.
The lawmakers conclude by demanding a full investigation into McKinsey’s China operations by the Department of Justice on national security grounds while requesting the Department of Defense determine whether it can continue trusting McKinsey as a defense contractor.
McKinsey has denied allegations of cooperating with the CCP.
“The central government of China is not, and to our knowledge has never been, a client of McKinsey,” reads a McKinsey press release published earlier this year. “Our client work in China is overwhelmingly for U.S., multinational and Chinese private sector entities.”
