Mayorkas & Wray Under Fire for Skipping Senate Hearing
WASHINGTON (November 8, 2023) Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas participates in a Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing on President Biden’s supplemental budget request with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC. (DHS photo by Sydney Phoenix)
In a striking break from tradition, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray have come under fire for skipping an end-of-year public hearing on global threats before the Senate Homeland Security Committee.
As Fox News reported, this move, described as a “shocking departure” by Committee Chairman Gary Peters, marks the first time in 15 years that this annual hearing has not occurred publicly.
The hearing, typically a platform for Americans to gain insight into critical security issues, was scrapped after both officials declined to testify. Instead, the FBI and DHS have offered classified briefings, citing their extensive prior testimonies and the sensitive nature of the material they would present.
In a statement, the FBI defended the decision, claiming that Wray and other officials have “testified extensively” about national threats and that classified briefings would better serve the committee’s needs.
The agency added, “The FBI has repeatedly demonstrated our commitment to responding to Congressional oversight and being transparent with the American people.”
Similarly, a DHS spokesperson pointed out that Mayorkas has testified more than 30 times during his tenure, reiterating the department’s preference for closed-door discussions on sensitive issues.
Despite these justifications, Chairman Peters slammed the decision, saying it undermines public trust and government transparency.
“Americans deserve transparent, public answers about the threats we face. Secretary Mayorkas and Director Wray’s refusal to speak publicly about their department’s work will only increase concerns that many Americans have about our nation’s security at a challenging time,” Peters stated.
He further criticized the move as an attempt to sidestep the committee’s oversight efforts, adding that claims of needing a classified setting were “entirely without merit.”
Senator Rand Paul, the committee’s ranking Republican, echoed Peters’ outrage, calling the refusal to testify publicly “unacceptable.” Paul added that withholding critical information from the public damages trust in institutions meant to protect national security.
The Senate hearing postponement follows a similar cancellation in the House Homeland Security Committee, where Mayorkas and Wray were also set to testify.
Representative Mark Green, the Republican chair of the House committee, has not publicly commented, but sources indicate that a classified hearing is now planned for December after negotiations to hold a public session fell through.
This series of no-shows has raised questions about the Biden administration’s transparency and accountability, especially as President Trump, recently re-elected, has vowed sweeping changes at both the DHS and FBI.
As Mayorkas and Wray dodge public scrutiny, one thing is clear: Americans are left with more questions than answers at a time when national security concerns are mounting.
