No-show

[George K]

https://www.axios.com/2024/11/21/mayorkas-wray-senate-testimony-homeland-security?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_source=twitter

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Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray did not show up to provide testimony at a routine hearing scheduled Thursday before the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

Why it matters: It's the first time in at least 15 years that the agency heads have refused to appear publicly for the annual hearing, the committee's chairman said in a statement.

• The pair's refusal to appear is a "shocking departure" from tradition, Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee, said in the statement.
• "Their choice to not provide public testimony about their departments' efforts to address wide-ranging national security threats robs the American people of critical information and the opportunity for public accountability of what the federal government is doing to keep Americans safe," he added.

The other side: An FBI spokesperson said in a statement that the agency's leaders have "testified extensively in public settings about the current threat environment and believe the Committee would benefit most from further substantive discussions and additional information that can only be provided in a classified setting."

• Mayorkas has testified before Congress 30 times during his tenure, a DHS spokesperson said in a statement. DHS and the FBI have already shared "extensive unclassified information" with the public, the spokesperson said.

Zoom out: The testimony would have come as both Mayorkas and Wray likely near the end of their tenures, with President-elect Trump taking office in January.

• In a social media post that was later deleted, Vice President-elect JD Vance said Trump has interviewed replacements for Wray, the AP reported.
• Earlier this month, Trump nominated South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) as the next Homeland Security secretary.

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An alterative thought: Maybe they didn't want to perjure themselves (again).

[Jolly]

I promise you...Both of those guys have already lawyered up.

[George K]

@Jolly said in No-show:

I promise you...Both of those guys have already lawyered up.

Oh, wait. These guys won't go to jail because, well, you know.