Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf refused to testify Thursday before a House committee regarding worldwide threats to the U.S.
Axios reported that Wolf defied a subpoena from the House Homeland Security Committee.
"Mr. Wolf may attempt to evade oversight and the department may try silly stunts to distract from this hearing, but we will not waver," committee chair Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said in his opening statement. "The stakes are just too high."
"Indeed, former department officials — the administration’s own political appointees — are coming forward to sound the alarm that our nation’s security is being compromised in favor of the President’s political interests."
And he added: “Unfortunately, as we see from the empty chair in front of us, Mr. Chad Wolf is not here to represent the Department of Homeland Security.”
The committee on Friday had issued a subpoena compelling Wolf to testify. The decision came after he had canceled a planned appearance, saying he should not testify while lawmakers consider his nomination for a permanent post.
A DHS spokesperson, posting on Twitter, said House Democrats had refused multiple offers to have a senior department official present at the hearing.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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