SE Valley Times

On May 23, 2024, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and eight Republican colleagues sent a letter questioning the actions of the Council of the Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency’s Integrity Committee (IC). The IC has a statutory responsibility to review allegations of wrongdoing by Inspectors General and their senior staff but appears to have failed in this duty.

In 2019, serious allegations were made by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) against three senior DHS OIG employees. After the IC declined to investigate, DHS OIG procured an independent investigation, which confirmed instances of fraud, misconduct, retaliation, and abuse of authority by the three employees. The findings were referred back to the IC for review, but it seems no action was taken.

Congressman Biggs’s letter demands answers from IC Chairperson Winters about these decisions. "The Integrity Committee–the watchers of the watchdogs–appear to have missed the mark for accountability in this situation. The allegations made and substantiated by the investigation are serious and Congress deserves answers for why they weren’t addressed," said Congressman Biggs.

"My review of this situation has led to many questions about whether there is truly integrity in the Integrity Committee. They operate as a black box with what they appear to believe is unchecked power, providing little information to Congress on their actions. Rather than creating layer upon layer upon layer of bureaucratic oversight, we should consider whether Congress is the more appropriate oversight authority, in line with checks and balances created by our Founding Fathers."

"I am grateful for my colleagues’ support on this critical issue, and I look forward to Chairperson Winters’s swift response."

"The failure of the so-called Integrity Committee to address government wrongdoing and cover up unlawful activity raises questions about whether this system exists to preserve or dismantle the inspector general system. It should come as no surprise that an entity devoid of political accountability is failing its basic mission and turning into another tool for government weaponization. If the entity which oversees the overseers ignores unlawful conduct in an inspector general’s office, we must wonder who and what it is spending its time on. The men and women of the inspector general system serve a crucial function in promoting an effective and accountable government, and they deserve to be supported in their mission by CIGIE, not attacked by the weaponized Integrity Committee for doing their job," said Congresswoman Harriet Hageman.

Cosigners of the letter include Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL), Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC), Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY), and Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI).

The full letter may be read here.

The Federalist covered the letter here.