House Republicans Demand Investigation Into Liberal Activist Who Attended Ayatollah’s Funeral

A trio of House Republicans is calling on the Trump administration to investigate Grayzone editor Max Blumenthal after he traveled to Iran for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral.

Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) sent the request Friday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Attorney General Todd Blanche, co-signed by Reps. Keith Self (R-TX) and Randy Weber (R-TX), according to a letter obtained by Laura Loomer. The letter builds on an earlier request Fine and colleagues filed in July seeking scrutiny of activists Calla Walsh, Jackson Hinkle and Christopher Helali for attending the same funeral, which the lawmakers describe as an event organized and orchestrated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.

The letter accuses Blumenthal of using journalism as cover to spread propaganda benefiting America’s enemies, pointing to his past commentary on the October 7 attacks — the letter accuses him of denying the massacre’s atrocities and calling some details “manufactured” by the Israeli government — and a 2025 reporting trip to Iran. The lawmakers also flagged Blumenthal’s lineage, noting he is the son of Sidney Blumenthal, a former aide to President Bill Clinton and a confidant of Hillary Clinton, calling it a matter of “grave concern” that a Democratic-aligned family has produced someone the letter alleges has become “an agent of influence” for Iran.

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GOP Members of Congress call for State Department and DOJ to investigate Radical Left Islamic Terror Sympathizer Max Blumenthal Following His Return From Iran

GOP Congressman @RepFine has written a letter to Secretary of State @SecRubio and US Attorney General… pic.twitter.com/QrSvRL1JJK

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) August 29, 2026

Beyond the funeral trip itself, the letter presses federal officials to examine who funds Blumenthal’s outlet, The Grayzone Project, and argues Homeland Security had grounds to seize his electronics and question him about financing when he reentered the country. It closes by urging Rubio and Blanche to investigate Blumenthal “to ensure the American public is safe from this traitor.”

Loomer’s post noted the letter lands two days after Rubio announced State Department sanctions on “violent far-left terrorist groups,” citing a Bush-era counterterrorism executive order. A State Department press release accompanying those sanctions said the action targets “terrorists, terrorist organizations, leaders and officials of terrorist groups, and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism,” and described the move as part of a broader effort against “transnational far-left terrorism.”

Blumenthal has not yet issued a public response to the letter, and did not respond to the Daily Wire’s request for comment. The State Department and Justice Department have not indicated whether they will act on the lawmakers’ request — neither agency immediately responded to the Wire’s requests for comment.

Loomer, who has closely tracked reporters’ attendance at the funeral, suggested the letter could mark “the beginning of the end” for Blumenthal and The Grayzone.