Leaders of the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Thursday criticized Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray for missing year-end hearings.
Committee Chairman Gary Peters said Mayorkas and Wray's refusal to appear in court was a “shocking departure” from a 15-year tradition of holding annual hearings on global threats. Ta. The FBI said in a statement to Fox News Digital that Wray and other officials have already “testified extensively” publicly about the threats facing the United States, and that the agency is “responding to Congressional oversight and… We have repeatedly demonstrated our commitment to transparency.” Americans. ”
“FBI leaders believe the committee would best benefit from further substantive discussion and additional information that can only be provided on a classified basis,” the FBI said in a statement.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security gave a similar explanation to Fox Digital, noting that a confidential press conference is preferable, as Mayorkas “testified 30 times during his tenure.”
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Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray have declined to testify publicly before the Senate Homeland Security Committee. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
But Peters rejected that explanation in a public statement, arguing that the lack of a hearing “deprives the American people of critical information.”
“The American people deserve transparent public answers about the threats we face. Secretary Mayorkas and Director Wray's refusal to speak publicly about their department's work comes at a difficult time. “This would only exacerbate the concerns that many Americans have about our nation's security and would ignore the committee's efforts.”Responsible oversight will not occur and will seriously damage trust in government. will give you. There is no basis whatsoever that their ability to communicate such information and answer questions is classified,” Peters wrote.
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Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), the committee's ranking member, also criticized the officials, calling their refusal to testify publicly “unacceptable.”
Sen. Rand Paul criticized Mayorkas and Wray for refusing to testify publicly during Thursday's national security hearing. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
The postponed Senate hearing came just a day after a similar hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee adjourned Wednesday. Mr. Mayorkas and Mr. Ray were also scheduled to testify at that hearing.
Schumer is now pledging to fully advance the Railroad Democrats' agenda and insisting on bipartisan support.
Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), the House committee chairman, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday morning.
A House Homeland Security Committee official told Fox Digital that the committee had been planning the classified hearing “since early last week.” But those plans fell through, and a public hearing was tentatively scheduled for Wednesday instead.
“A few days ago, after further negotiations, we reached an agreement to postpone until December, after which the public hearing will be held in confidence,” the official said.
The House and Senate hearings were supposed to be the first time Mayorkas and Wray have testified before lawmakers since Trump was reelected this month. (Alison Robert Poole/Getty Images)
The two hearings were supposed to be the first for Mayorkas and Wray to appear before the House and Senate since President-elect Trump was reelected earlier this month.
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President Trump has vowed to push for far-reaching reforms to both DHS and the FBI.
