Rep. Loudermilk, Senator Chuck Grassley Demand Answers from Secretary Mayorkas about Interference in DHS OIG Investigations

Washington D.C. (August 20, 2024) | This week, Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11), Chairman of the Committee on House Administration's Oversight Subcommittee, and Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) sent letters to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding answers about DHS interference in the DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigations, which was detailed in the DHS OIG's report entitled United States Secret Service Preparation for and Response to the Events of January 6, 2021, which was submitted to Congress on August 1, 2024.

This report details numerous access issues the DHS OIG has been experiencing that have gone unresolved for years. It states, "[Department] officials have explicitly threatened to withhold information from DHS OIG in the future if DHS OIG releases information outside the executive branch that [Department] officials believe should not be released."

Loudermilk and Grassley's letters condemn DHS for causing this extended delay and its interference with the OIG investigation.

Following the letters, Rep. Loudermilk and Ranking Member Senator Grassley released the below statements:

"My investigation has uncovered alarming reports that Mayorkas and the Department have been delaying the DHS OIG from conducting their investigations. I am very concerned that the Department would interfere at all regarding what information DHS OIG provides to Congress or what information the DHS OIG can obtain during their investigations. The OIG has an independent reporting relationship to Congress. Under no circumstances should the Secretary interfere in the Inspector General's work," said Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11).

"The Biden-Harris DHS is keeping its watchdog on a tight leash by imposing unlawful access restrictions and delaying information sharing, which has interfered with DHS OIG's ability to disclose its full findings to Congress and the American people in a timely manner. DHS' rampant lack of transparency is a disservice to the American taxpayer and highly concerning in light of recent Secret Service-related communication failures. If DHS is willing to keep Americans in the dark about January 6, how can we depend on them to provide the whole truth about July 13? It's high time DHS let the sunshine in," said Ranking Member Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA).

Click here to read the full letter to Secretary Mayorkas.

Click here to read the full letter to DHS IG Joseph V. Cuffari.

BACKGROUND

July 19, 2024: Oversight Subcommittee staff learned that the report, The Secret Service's Preparation for, and Response to, the Events of January 6, 2021, was complete and on DHS Secretary Mayorkas' desk for final approval.

July 23, 2024: Rep. Loudermilk waived on to an Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing with the head of CIGIE, a group tasked with issuing standards for Inspectors General. During this hearing, Rep. Loudermilkconfronted CIGIE about Mayorkas delaying the release of the DHS OIG report, to which CIGIE Chair Greenblatt said it was inappropriate.

July 24, 2024: Rep. Loudermilksent a letter to Secretary Mayorkas demanding the immediate release ofthe report titled, The Secret Service's Preparation for, and Response to, the Events of January 6, 2021.

August 1, 2024: DHS OIG released a redacted advance copy of the report entitled, "The Secret Service's Preparation for, and Response to, the Events of January 6, 2021" to Congress.

August 2, 2024: DHS OIG released the report to the American public.

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