Top Democrats are calling for the resignation of Homeland Security’s domestic watchdog, per Reuters

By Moira Warburton

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two top Democrats in the U.S. Congress called for the Homeland Security Department’s domestic watchdog to resign on Thursday after the release of a nonpartisan report citing repeated misconduct and obstruction.

DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari’s conduct was “evidence that he has seriously compromised the public trust and is clearly unfit to serve in a position that requires him to protect the public interest and act above reproach,” Rep. Jamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat high in Parliament. The Oversight Committee and Rep. Bennie Thompson, the senior Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, said in a joint statement.

A report released by the independent Board of Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency said Cuffari, appointed by Republican President Donald Trump in 2019, lied to Congress about previous investigations into his misconduct and said he wasted $1.4 million taxpayer dollars in investigations of former senior staff in personal retaliation suits.

In response to the report, House Oversight Chairman James Comer, a Republican, attacked the council, known by the acronym CIGIE, saying lawmakers “have expressed serious concerns about the time CIGIE has spent investigating this matter, and questions remain about guarantees of a fair trial. .”

He added that the commission had requested a review of the council’s processes from the Government Oversight Commission.

“The committee will continue to review the entire report and we anticipate further discussion,” Comer said.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The inspector general’s role is to prevent fraud and wrongdoing in government. The US government has 72 inspectors general.