Weekly Spotlight: Our To-dos for Biden

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There’s less than two months left in Joe Biden’s presidency. That is less than two months for Biden to take concrete, decisive action to safeguard federal institutions, civil liberties, and the rule of law before he leaves office.

It is enough time to create meaningful changes, and we have a (non-exhaustive) to-do list for him, including pushing for transparency from the Department of Homeland Security, specifically on Customs and Border Protection’s and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s detention activities; closing loopholes created by the Office of Legal Counsel that enabled then-President Donald Trump to abuse his power during his first term; and driving the swift nomination of qualified watchdogs to the 10 currently vacant inspector general positions across the federal government; and removing and replacing unfit watchdogs like Joseph V. Cuffari.

Trump has promised sweeping, aggressive action that could harm civil liberties and dismantle crucial guardrails of democracy, and Biden must do what he can to mitigate potential harms. He must make full use of the final stretch to strengthen accountability before his tenure is up — and we’re going to hold him to it.

INVESTIGATION

DHS Watchdog Repeatedly Misled Congress, Federal Probe Finds

Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari “abused his authority” with a $1.4 million “retaliatory investigation” of whistleblowers.

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LETTER

President Biden: Remove Inspector General Cuffari Before You Leave Office

Recent investigations by the Integrity Committee and POGO make it clear IG Cuffari must be removed.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“It is literally giving [Elon Musk] the keys to the kingdom to help his business interests get a leg up compared to their competitors.”

Danielle Brian, Executive Director and President, in the Wall Street Journal

ONE LINERS

“This made [the F-35] an expensive & complex jack of all trades, master of none. Success was never in the set of possible outcomes.”

Greg Williams, Director of the Center for Defense Information, in Reuters
 

“We want all of that disclosed because there is a genuine chance that, given the scale of what the Trump administration has planned, people could just disappear into federal custody.”

Sarah Turberville, Director of The Constitution Project, in The Lever
 

“[Ballard Partners is] very intertwined at the highest levels with the incoming Trump administration, and they stand to profit significantly.”

Nick Schwellenbach, Senior Investigator, in ABC News