'This Man Has Repeatedly Lied To Congress': Summer Lee Confronts Top Trump Official Over His Record

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During a House Oversight Committee hearing on Wednesday, Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) asked Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari about his record.

Transcript

00:00I'm happy to recognize the ranking member, Ms. Lee, for five minutes for questioning.

00:06Thank you, Mr. Chair.

00:08In appreciation of the hearing that we're having today about such an important topic as child sexual trafficking and sexual abuse,

00:17I look forward to our colleagues joining us, of course, in releasing the money with their mouth,

00:22especially unaccompanied ones entering this country alone and scared, deserve our utmost attention and oversight.

00:30In normal times, inspectors general act as the first line of defense,

00:34ensuring that agencies follow the law and act in the public interest.

00:38They're fiercely independent, or they should be fiercely independent.

00:42They serve no Democratic or Republican administration, and presidents are careful not to interfere with their work.

00:48But these aren't normal times, and the Trump administration has now unlawfully fired or demoted 20 inspectors generals across the government.

00:58Oddly enough, though, I noticed that he left you in place.

01:01Inspector General Kafari, that strikes me as a bit suspicious, given that this past October,

01:07the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency released a 1,002-page report from its Integrity Committee

01:13on your repeated and well-documented misconduct.

01:16These are the inspectors of the inspectors general.

01:20Based on the findings of this report, which included recommending discipline up to you and including your removal from office,

01:25I have a lot of questions about whether we can trust you to conduct independent oversight.

01:32Inspector General Kafari, yes or no?

01:35Do you agree that it's important for inspectors general to tell Congress the truth?

01:39Absolutely.

01:40Yes or no, are you aware this report by the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency found you, quote,

01:45engaged in conduct undermining the independence of integrity reasonably expected of your position?

01:51I understand that's what they wrote.

01:53So, yes.

01:55Yes or no, are you aware this report found you expended nearly $1.4 million in taxpayers' fund to, and I quote,

02:02hire a private law firm to investigate three former senior members of your staff, most likely for your personal interest,

02:09and in order to retaliate against them?

02:11Not for my personal interest, ranking member.

02:13Are you aware that they found that in their report?

02:16That's what they wrote.

02:17So, yes, you are.

02:18Yes or no, are you aware this report found that the federal government had to spend an additional $1.17 million in taxpayer money

02:25to settle the resulting retaliation case?

02:29Yes or no?

02:31No.

02:32You're not aware.

02:33Well, I'm happy to have made you aware.

02:35Are you aware this report concluded that you, and I quote,

02:38abused your authority in the exercise of your official duties and engaged in, quote,

02:42a gross waste of taxpayer funds?

02:44Yes or no?

02:45Just so I can clarify the issue, the question that you raised,

02:49that was an MSPB, Merit Systems Promotion Board hearing, that we made a settlement with a litigant.

02:57So you're aware of the, you're going back to the $1.17 million in taxpayer dollars that you were indeed aware of?

03:02Correct.

03:04Yes or no, are you aware that the Integrity Committee found three additional issues worth investigating,

03:08but they chose to move forward because they had already had enough evidence to recommend your removal?

03:13That's what they wrote.

03:14So, yes.

03:16The inspector's general oversight body has already determined that this man has repeatedly lied to Congress.

03:21But today, we're supposed to trust him as an independent, objective, and forthcoming witness.

03:26This is a Fox Garden Hen House.

03:28Children, especially unaccompanied immigrant children, need our help.

03:32They need someone who can speak truth to power and look out for them.

03:36Unfortunately, Inspector General Khafari is not that person,

03:38and we're left to wonder if there is any real oversight going on at the Department of Homeland Security.

03:43According to DHS employees, and they're rushed to round up as many people as possible,

03:48they've abandoned other critical duties like fighting, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and child exploitation.

03:54How is that good for children?

03:56How is that good for this country?

03:58In a time when mass ICE agents patrol the streets,

04:01snatching up anyone they think looks like an undocumented immigrant,

04:05and when Americans' private data is being seized for unprecedented surveillance,

04:09we desperately need oversight.

04:12Instead, we have a corrupt and incompetent Inspector General at DHS.

04:17I yield back.

04:20The gentlelady yields.

04:22The gentlelady yields.

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