DHS Officials Urge Biden to End 'Disastrous Leadership' of Embattled IG

[cbabe]

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/09/23/dhs-officials-urge-biden-end-disastrous-leadership-embattled-ig

DHS Officials Urge Biden to End 'Disastrous Leadership' of Embattled IG

BRETT WILKINS
September 23, 2022

An anonymous letter published Friday by a watchdog group revealed officials at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General called on President Joe Biden to fire their boss, a scandal-plagued appointee of former President Donald Trump whose actions the staffers say "greatly hinder" the agency's mission.

The letter—which was obtained and published by the Project on Government Oversight (POGO)—states that DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari "no longer has the support of his workforce," who "can no longer hope that the ship will right itself."

"We need help. We can no longer be silent when faced with continuous mismanagement of DHS OIG at its highest levels," the letter continues. "IG Cuffari has made it clear that he wishes to remain in his position, even in the face of prolonged, deserved criticism in the media, from Congress, from other oversight entities, and from his own staff."

Cuffari has rejected congressional demands for documents and blocked staff from testifying about the deletion of text messages sent by Secret Service agents and senior DHS officials before and on the day of the deadly January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

House Democrats have accused Cuffari of a "cover-up" for repeatedly waiting months to notify Congress about the existence of the deleted texts.

"His actions embarrass the entire agency," the letter contends. "His actions impede and greatly hinder our mission... DHS OIG will continue to fail under his disastrous leadership."

It adds, "You are the only one who can help us before DHS OIG are forever damaged by IG Cuffari."

POGO has also called for Biden to fire Cuffari, with the group's director of public policy, Liz Hempowicz, writing last month that his "shortcomings as an inspector general were clear long before they landed him in the middle of one of the most high-profile investigations of our time."

[OneGrassRoot]

1. As an aside, FEMA....

I know this is likely true everywhere, in every company and institution and agency, but I know quite a few people who are FEMA first responders who are Trump cultists. Every time there is a disaster I cringe thinking about what such people are thinking and doing as they report to the area of need. I didn't realize this years ago but when Trump came along, their true colors came out - in public.

FEMA is part of DHS which is why I mention this.

[Boomerproud]

5. I had absolutely no idea about the rank and file, as it were.

It just seems against their nature not to be selfish.

[dalton99a]

2. Get rid of that Trump cultist

[NullTuples]

3. Trump flushed so many key positions - they need to be flushed again

[erronis]

4. See? tfg was right. Need multiple flushes to get his crap out of the system.

I can't imagine how someone like Cuffari can even look at himself in the mirror, let alone pretend that he is doing honest work for the country. Hope his family and friends know how bad he is (altho they may be part of that cult also.)

[spedtr90]

6. Jared's dad made clear how they think.

Charles Kushner
June 2018

“You want to know what I think about watchdogs? I think they’re a waste of time. They’re guys who can’t get a real job. All they want to do is assure that poor, not successful people get into government. Because if you’re successful, you shouldn’t be penalized by stupid ethics watchdogs.”

[NoMoreRepugs]

7. The mega wealthy truly do think they are superior.

[Zilli]

8. I believe that booby traps and time bombs have been planted

by the regime of 45, in every nook and cranny of our federal government. There are federal employees in every department who will do what they can to destroy our way of life and hamper, interfere and meddle in every effort to support We The People, especially during national disasters and tragic events. I cannot understand why there has not been an effort to move these individuals out of positions where they can do harm or just fire their asses. Does the fed even know who and where these time bombs are or what booby traps exist? It's disgusting.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

9. Yes. They're like sleeper cells, waiting for GOP to regain power.

Meanwhile, they put the brakes on every chance they get.


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