1 of 2 | Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari (speaking at a House Oversight and Accountability Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C., in 2023) is accused of misconduct. The White House has received a confidential watchdog report alleging that the Trump-appointed official has abused his authority, as well. File Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA-EFE
Oct. 4 (UPI) — The White House has received a confidential watchdog report alleging that Trump-appointed Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari abused his authority and committed substantial misconduct. It recommended punishment up to and including firing him.
The report recommended “appropriate action, up to and including dismissal.”
The Council of the Inspectors General On Integrity and Efficiency, known as the Integrity Committee, wrote the report
A redacted version was released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee.
The report stated, “After thoroughly reviewing the evidence and carefully considering the subject responses, the IC finds by a preponderance of the evidence that IG Cuffari engaged in conduct undermining the independence or integrity reasonably expected of his position.”
The IC report alleges that Cuffari abused his authority and “engaged in substantial misconduct in the form of a gross waste of funds” when he spent $$1.393 million of taxpayer funds to hire a private law firm to investigate three former senior members of his staff.
The IC found that was most likely done for his “personal” interest and to retaliate against them. One of the staffers got a $1.17 million settlement paid with additional taxpayer funds, according to the IC report.
The IC alleges that Cuffari provided inaccurate and misleading answers to questions regarding possible misconduct in his federal employment history as a sworn law enforcement officer, and as an IG, misrepresented his reasons for hiring a private law firm to investigate three former DHS OIG senior executives and his influence over that investigation.
In a partially redacted paragraph, the IC report said Cuffari personally attempted to influence that independent investigation.
The IC report also found that former Chief Operating Officer/Acting Inspector General Jennifer Costello “abused her authority in the exercise of her official duties when she wrongfully resisted newly confirmed IG Cuffari’s leadership through a series of divisive words and actions.”
Republicans on Capitol Hill have praised Cuffari over the years for being highly critical of the Biden administration and are likely to oppose Cuffari’s removal.
Top Democrats including House Homeland Security Committee ranking member Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Oversight Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin, D-Md., issued a joint statement calling for Biden to remove Cuffari.
“In the wake of the independent and nonpartisan CIGIE Integrity Committee’s report documenting IG Cuffari’s misconduct, we call on President Biden to remove him as inspector general of DHS,” they wrote.
They added, “General Cuffari’s extensive and shocking record of misconduct and obstruction is evidence that he has seriously compromised the public’s trust and is plainly not fit to serve in a position that requires him to guard the public interest and act beyond reproach.”