{"id":2086485,"date":"2023-11-01T09:46:02","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T13:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-pound-mayorkas-wray-during-tense-senate-hearing\/"},"modified":"2023-11-01T09:49:50","modified_gmt":"2023-11-01T13:49:50","slug":"republicans-pound-mayorkas-wray-during-tense-senate-hearing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-pound-mayorkas-wray-during-tense-senate-hearing\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP Attacks Mayorkas, Wray in Heated Senate Hearing"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frepublicans-pound-mayorkas-wray-during-tense-senate-hearing%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2086485&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>Senate Hearing on Terrorism Threats Gets Heated<\/h2>\n<p>During Tuesday&#8217;s \u200cSenate Homeland Security and Government Affairs hearing on terrorism\u200b threats, \u200bFBI Director Christopher Wray faced tough questions from Republicans.\u200c However, the opening remarks from Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), the\u2062 committee \u200bchairman, took Director \u200dWray by surprise.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Peters emphasized the importance of executive branch officials being responsive to\u2064 Congress and\u200d criticized the delayed responses to Questions\u2062 for the Record \u200b(QFRs) from last year&#8217;s threat hearing. He \u2064called\u200b Director Wray&#8217;s \u2063lack of answers &#8220;simply unacceptable.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>Commitment to Promptly\u2062 Respond to Inquiries<\/h2>\n<p>Sen. \u200bPeters requested a commitment from Director\u200c Wray, Secretary Mayorkas, and National Counterterrorism Center Director Christine Abizaid\u2062 to respond quickly to QFRs. \u200bDirector Wray explained the inter-agency clearance \u200dprocess \u2062for\u200b QFRs but assured\u200c Sen. Peters \u2062that he would do everything \u200din his \u200cpower to respond promptly.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>Content Moderation and Constitutional Security<\/h2>\n<p>Sen. Rand\u2064 Paul (R-Ky.) shifted the focus to the\u200b federal government&#8217;s threat to constitutional security. He questioned Secretary \u2063Mayorkas about DHS&#8217;s meetings \u2063with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-challenges-biden-for-censor-in-chief-title\/\" title=\"Newsom challenges Biden as the Censor-In-Chief.\">social media\u200b companies<\/a> regarding content moderation. Secretary Mayorkas denied \u2064meeting\u200d with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ga-poll-watcher-it-expert-non-trump-supporter-affidavit-sudden-surge-of-20000-mail-in-votes-for-biden-in-early-hours-on-nov\/\" title=\"GA Poll Watcher, IT Expert, Non-Trump Supporter Affidavit: Sudden Surge of 20,000 Mail-In-Votes For Biden In Early Hours On Nov\">social media companies<\/a> for the purpose of encouraging content takedowns, but\u200b Sen. Paul challenged him with examples of censorship following \u2064such meetings.<\/p>\n<p>Director Wray acknowledged having &#8220;some\u2064 meetings&#8221; with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fbi-told-twitter-hunter-biden-laptop-was-real-when-new-york-post-story-broke-then-hid-behind-big-tech-censors-disinfo-smear\/\" title=\"FBI confirmed Hunter Biden laptop's authenticity during New York Post story, but later relied on tech censorship to dismiss it as 'disinfo'.\">social media\u2062 companies<\/a> \u200dbut <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-pound-mayorkas-wray-during-tense-senate-hearing\/\" title=\"GOP Attacks Mayorkas, Wray in Heated Senate Hearing\">denied discussing\u200c constitutionally protected\u200c speech<\/a>. He \u200dclarified that a payment to X\u200b was for \u2064unrelated information, \u2063not content \u2064moderation\u200b expenses.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>Visa Revocation and Anti-Semitic Demonstrations<\/h2>\n<p>Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)\u2064 raised concerns about foreign students participating in anti-Semitic demonstrations. He questioned Secretary Mayorkas\u200d about revoking their visas and inquired about an employee who made anti-Semitic remarks. Secretary Mayorkas stated that the legal assertion was being assessed and confirmed that the employee had been placed on administrative leave.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>Child Trafficking \u200dand DHS Whistleblower<\/h2>\n<p>After\u200c a lunch break, Sen. Hawley pressed Secretary \u200dMayorkas\u2063 about the number of rescued children \u2064involved in sex and labor trafficking. Secretary Mayorkas refused\u200d to provide a \u200cdirect response. Additionally, he declined \u200cto\u200d comment \u2063on a DHS whistleblower&#8217;s claims about federal agents being\u2063 transferred to\u2063 the Southern border for tasks unrelated to child trafficking \u200ccases.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How does \u200cDirector Wray plan to \u200bimprove the\u2064 effectiveness of the FBI&#8217;s counterterrorism strategies in light of concerns raised by \u200dSen. Ron Johnson \u200cand others?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u2062Or \u200bWray to promptly respond \u200cto \u2063all future inquiries \u2064from Congress. He highlighted\u2064 the role \u200cof\u200d oversight \u2062and \u200caccountability in ensuring the \u200bsafety and security \u2063of the American people. The senator emphasized the need \u2062for open and transparent \u2063communication between the \u2063executive branch and Congress, particularly when it\u200c comes to matters as \u2064serious\u200b as national\u2062 security\u200b and counterterrorism efforts.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>Critical Questions\u200b Remain Unanswered<\/h2>\n<p>Republicans on the committee \u200dechoed Sen. Peters&#8217; concerns and \u2062posed\u2062 tough questions to Director Wray. They sought answers regarding the current state of \u2063terrorism threats and the FBI&#8217;s efforts to counteract them. However, many were\u200d dissatisfied with the responses received.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Ron\u2062 Johnson \u2062(R-Wis.), a ranking member of the \u200bcommittee, expressed frustration with\u2063 the lack of\u200d information\u200b provided \u2064by the\u200d FBI. He questioned the\u200c effectiveness of the agency&#8217;s counterterrorism strategies and pointed out areas\u200d where significant \u2063improvements are needed.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>Partisan Tensions \u200bHeighten\u200b<\/h2>\n<p>The Senate hearing \u200cquickly turned\u2063 into a heated display of partisan tensions. Democrats accused\u2063 Republicans of downplaying the threat \u200bof domestic \u200bterrorism and focusing\u2063 solely\u2063 on external threats.\u2062 Republicans, on\u200b the other \u200bhand, accused Democrats of ignoring the seriousness of \u200dthe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/no-time-to-die-settles-debate-daniel-craig-is-the-best-james-bond\/\" title=\"\u2018No Time To Die\u2019 Settles Debate: Daniel Craig Is The Best James Bond\">global terrorist network<\/a> \u200cand prioritizing their political agenda over \u2062national security.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) raised\u200b the issue \u2064of Antifa and its potential role in domestic terrorism. He called\u2063 for a thorough investigation into\u2063 the group&#8217;s \u200cactivities and urged\u200d Director Wray \u200bto \u2064prioritize this matter. Democrats, \u200dhowever, dismissed Sen. \u200cHawley&#8217;s\u200d concerns, claiming\u2063 that focusing on\u200c Antifa diverted attention from more significant threats.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>The\u2063 Need for Bipartisanship<\/h2>\n<p>Given the \u2063seriousness of the \u2064issue at hand, it is imperative that\u2062 lawmakers rise above partisan divides and work\u200b together to address terrorism\u2063 threats effectively. It is crucial\u2063 for the executive branch to maintain open lines of communication with Congress and provide prompt and thorough \u200bresponses\u200d to inquiries.<\/p>\n<p>Terrorism\u200b is a\u200d threat that affects\u2064 the entire nation, \u2063regardless \u2064of political \u2064affiliation. Ignoring the \u2062concerns \u2064or politicizing the issue \u2064only weakens the collective effort needed \u200cto combat terrorism \u2062effectively. Both\u2063 Democrats and\u200d Republicans must find common ground and prioritize the safety of the \u2062American people.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>The Way Forward<\/h2>\n<p>This hearing shed \u2062light on \u200dthe need for better communication and cooperation between \u200dthe\u2063 executive branch and Congress when it\u2064 comes to addressing terrorism \u200bthreats. Prompt and comprehensive \u2063responses \u2063to inquiries are \u200dvital to ensure that lawmakers have\u200d the necessary information to make informed decisions.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, this \u200bhearing serves\u2062 as a reminder\u2064 that national security \u2062should not be a partisan issue. \u2062It requires a \u2062united front, \u200dwhere lawmakers \u200bfrom both sides\u2062 of the aisle work\u200c together to\u2062 strengthen counterterrorism efforts and protect the American people.<\/p>\n<p>As the threats\u2064 from\u200c terrorism continue \u200cto evolve,\u200b it is crucial for elected officials\u200d and government \u200cagencies \u2064to remain vigilant and adaptable. By fostering a bipartisan\u200d approach and prioritizing the safety and\u2062 security of the nation, the United States can effectively confront and \u200cmitigate the risks posed by terrorism.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Both DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray anticipated challenging inquiries from Republicans at the Senate hearing on terrorism threats. However, Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), the committee chairman, surprised Wray with an unexpected lecture during the opening remarks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":173,"featured_media":2086486,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2086485","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086485","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/173"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2086485"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086485\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2086486"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2086485"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2086485"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2086485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}