Staff Reports
Senators Charles E. Grassley and Barry Loudermilk are putting Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in the hot seat, accusing him of playing hide-and-seek with inspector general investigations. These GOP stalwarts sent a letter to Mayorkas, alleging that he has been obstructing independent inquiries led by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General. According to them, the leadership at DHS has been engaging in a systematic game of delay and denial when it comes to fulfilling essential information requests.
The Republicans are not pulling any punches. They pointed out that every semiannual report from the DHS OIG to Congress since September 2021 – right at the beginning of President Biden’s administration and Mayorkas’ time at the helm – has highlighted access issues. This contrasts sharply with the reports from the Trump years, which typically avoided such complaints. It’s almost like finding a family photo album full of happy memories, only for them to discover that the album from the other side has been redacted like a bad spy novel.
On top of that, it seems Mayorkas and his crew have taken the art of redaction to new heights. Grassley and Loudermilk raised concerns over improper redactions in inspector general reports, particularly regarding the Secret Service’s handling of the January 6 protests. Additionally, DHS has purportedly stalled the release of records in that investigation, leaving everyone scratching their heads over the lack of clarity for why they’re keeping certain documents under wraps.
Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Barry Loudermilk accuse Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, DHS leadership of obstructing inspector general probeshttps://t.co/1budcbJGSR pic.twitter.com/XuZrp9iqAf
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) August 21, 2024
Grassley and Loudermilk didn’t stop at calling out the redactions; they also highlighted the troubling implications of the DHS’s behavior. Their letter contended that the department’s alleged antics create a chilling atmosphere for whistleblowers, when, ideally, the OIG should be a safe haven for reporting fraud and misconduct. They even hinted that employees may need to don their superhero capes and become whistleblowers themselves if they want their voices heard in Congress.
In a show of determination, the duo has also reached out to DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari for clarity on these access issues. They are wary that the Biden-Harris administration’s tactics against the OIG might bleed into crucial reviews, including the investigation into the assassination attempt against former President Trump. Grassley and Loudermilk are demanding that DHS outline their plans to ensure that the inspector general receives the necessary information and that Congress gets an unvarnished account of events – no funny business allowed.
