{"id":2356840,"date":"2024-10-18T17:40:59","date_gmt":"2024-10-18T21:40:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/grassley-looks-into-finances-of-board-calling-for-igs-removal\/"},"modified":"2024-10-18T17:43:47","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T21:43:47","slug":"grassley-looks-into-finances-of-board-calling-for-igs-removal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/grassley-looks-into-finances-of-board-calling-for-igs-removal\/","title":{"rendered":"Grassley looks into finances of board calling for IG&#8217;s removal &#8211;"},"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\">22<\/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%2Fgrassley-looks-into-finances-of-board-calling-for-igs-removal%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=2356840&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--><p>Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) \u200dis seeking greater transparency regarding the finances of the Council of\u2064 the Inspectors General\u2064 on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), a watchdog body that\u200b recently called for the firing of\u2063 Department of\u200c Homeland Security Inspector \u2062General Joseph Cuffari. \u2063Cuffari, \u200da\u2062 Trump appointee, has been under investigation for his \u2062handling of immigration policies and for spending\u2062 significant funds \u2063on internal\u200c matters,\u2064 which raised concerns among\u200c the watchdogs. Grassley has written to CIGIE\u2019s Chairman Jason Miller, requesting a detailed financial breakdown for the \u200bpast five years, as he believes the\u200d agency&#8217;s spending records are \u2064currently\u200d too vague. <\/p>\n<p>His push for greater oversight comes amid a backdrop where\u2064 two other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/thursday-october-21st-2021\/\" title=\"Thursday | October 21st, 2021\">inspectors general<\/a> have\u2064 been removed from their positions this year, with Grassley also\u200c seeking clarification on one\u2062 of their \u2062dismissals. CIGIE, established\u2063 in 2008 to oversee inspectors general, \u2062is now being scrutinized for potentially acting\u2064 politically by removing \u200cthose who do not align with certain agendas. Grassley aims for increased accountability to ensure taxpayer\u200b funds are used effectively in government operations.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Grassley investigates finances of watchdog that called for Trump IG&rsquo;s removal<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1839401\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/chuck-grassley\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Chuck Grassley\">Chuck Grassley<\/a> (R-IA) is calling for more details on the inner workings of an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fb-board-to-open-public-comments-on-ban-of-president-trump\/\" title=\"FB board to open public comments on ban of President Trump\">oversight board<\/a> that is drawing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3184714\/government-group-major-stir-election\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"more scrutiny\">scrutiny<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/capitol-hill\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Capitol Hill<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>A watchdog of government watchdogs known as the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency has called for the <a href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/homenews\/house\/4916465-cigie-calls-for-removal-dhs-inspector-general\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"firing\">firing<\/a> of Department of Homeland Security IG Joseph Cuffari, a Trump appointee who has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oig.dhs.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/assets\/2024-10\/OIG-24-65-Sep24-Redacted.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"sounded\">investigated<\/a> the agency&rsquo;s immigration policies.<\/p>\n<p>CIGIE released a 1,000-page report complaining, among other things, that Cuffari spent $1.4 million investigating three of his employees and settling a related lawsuit for $1.2 million. But Grassley says the group&rsquo;s own finances are not as transparent as they should be.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;My oversight is simply asking CIGIE to provide detailed spending data so that taxpayers know how the agency is spending their hard-earned money,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Executive agencies and Inspectors General ought to be using federal funds to best serve the American people, and it&rsquo;s Congress&rsquo;s job to make sure of that. Letting the sunshine in early helps prevent waste down the line.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Grassley has penned a letter to CIGIE Chairman Jason Miller saying its publicly listed spending is too vague and cut into broad categories such as &ldquo;Travel and Transportation of Persons&rdquo; and &ldquo;Other Goods and Services from Federal Sources.&rdquo; He&rsquo;s seeking a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/heres-what-you-need-to-know-from-a-wild-weekend-of-sports\/\" title=\"Here\u2019s What You Need To Know From A Wild Weekend Of Sports\">detailed breakdown<\/a> of its finances dating back five years.<\/p>\n<p>CIGIE spokesman Juan Lara acknowledged receipt of the letter but did not respond to questions from the <em>Washington Examiner.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>While Cuffari remains in office, two other IGs have been ousted this year amid CIGIE investigations. President Joe Biden <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/2945146\/biden-fires-railroad-official-office-since-1994-hostile-work-environment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"fired\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wait-until-you-see-whats-coming-president-trump-fires-warning-shot-on-fraudulent-computer-voting-systems\/\" title=\"&quot;Wait Until You See What&#039;s Coming!&quot; - President Trump Fires Warning Shot on Fraudulent Computer Voting Systems\">fired<\/a><\/a> Railroad Retirement Board IG Martin Dickman in March, and Social Security Administration IG Gail Ennis, another Trump appointee, resigned in May. <\/p>\n<p>Grassley is also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/2990179\/ig-ousted-biden-pushes-back-assist-grassley\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"pushing for more information\">pushing for more information<\/a> on Dickman&rsquo;s firing. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Your communication failed to adequately provide Congress the details and case-specific reasons for the RRB IG&rsquo;s removal, as required by law,&rdquo; he wrote in a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.grassley.senate.gov\/imo\/media\/doc\/grassley_to_biden_-_rrb_ig_removal.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">letter<\/a>&nbsp;to Biden&nbsp;earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p>Congress created CIGIE in&nbsp;2008 to provide oversight of the government&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/flashback-former-ag-barr-initiated-spying-program-on-americans-back-in-1992\/\" title=\"FLASHBACK: Former AG Barr Initiated Spying Program on Americans Back in 1992\">inspector general<\/a>, but the group now stands accused of becoming a political actor weeding out IGs who step out of line.<\/p>\n<p>The 91-year-old senator has fought to reform the process of hiring and firing inspector generals before, once&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/idUSKBN23B2XY\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">blocking<\/a>&nbsp;two of then-President Donald Trump&rsquo;s nominees because Trump had fired two IGs.<\/p>\n<p>A bill Grassley introduced that passed in late 2022 requires the president to send Congress written communication before removing an inspector general, outlying the &ldquo;substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>But recent developments suggest the process is still not operating as Grassley would like.<\/p>\n<p>Jim Read, Cuffari&rsquo;s general counsel, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3184714\/government-group-major-stir-election\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"sued\">sued<\/a> CIGIE in his personal capacity in June, and another lawsuit against the group filed last year was dismissed by a federal court.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"scribd_iframe_embed\" title=\"Grassley to Cigie - Spending Data\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/embeds\/781547111\/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;access_key=key-i8eloxGs7uOrhHPkog7u\" tabindex=\"0\" data-auto-height=\"true\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.7729220222793488\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"100%\" height=\"600\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1839401\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1839401\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Grassley probes finances of watchdog seeking Trump IG&#8217;s ouster<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2635,"featured_media":2356841,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Chuck-Grassley-CIGIE-Cuffari.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[3664,11416,9760,43310,3976],"class_list":["post-2356840","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-board","tag-finances","tag-grassley","tag-ig-removal","tag-investigation"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Chuck-Grassley-CIGIE-Cuffari.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2356840","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\/2635"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2356840"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2356840\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2356841"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2356840"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2356840"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2356840"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}