Top Democrats Accuse the DHS Watchdog of Obstructing Their Investigations
Top Democrats Accuse the DHS Watchdog of Obstructing Their Investigations
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Inspector General Joseph Cuffari defended his office’s work, but lawmakers pushed back.
COURTNEY BUBLÉ | AUGUST 17, 2022
Top Democratic lawmakers are accusing the Homeland Security watchdog of obstructing their investigations into how the office has handled reports on domestic violence and sexual assault as well as investigations into the Capitol attack.
The latest in a series of dramas involving DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari is a dispute between him and Reps. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chairs of the House Oversight and Reform and Homeland Security committees, respectively.
“In response to the committees’ requests [in May, July and August], you have refused to produce responsive documents and blocked employees in your office from appearing for transcribed interviews,” Maloney and Thompson wrote in a new letter to Cuffari on Tuesday, responding to two letters he sent them on Aug. 8. “Your obstruction of the committees’ investigations is unacceptable, and your justifications for this noncompliance appear to reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of Congress’s authority and your duties as an inspector general. If you continue to refuse to comply with our requests, we will have no choice but to consider alternate measures to ensure your compliance.”
In one letter that focused on missing text messages from Secret Service agents and President Trump’s top DHS officials in the lead-up to the Capitol attack, Cuffari defended how his office has conducted the probes and navigated access to records issues. He also repeated what he told lawmakers during a briefing on July 15, that consistent with federal guidelines, his office was “unable to confirm or discuss ongoing criminal investigations. Sharing information about ongoing criminal investigations could impact potential witnesses or others who may be involved in the investigative process.”
More:
https://www.govexec.com/oversight/2022/08/top-democrats-accuse-dhs-watchdog-obstructing-investigations/375931/
