Actingdhschief denies suppressing report
WASHINGTON — Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of homeland security, told senators at his confirmation hearing Wednesday that white supremacist extremists represented a lethal domestic terrorist threat, even as he strongly denied suppressing a report thatwould have rendered that judgment more officially.
“It’s a fabrication, completely,” Wolf said of charges that he buried a Homeland Security Department threat assessment that singled out racist extremists, as well as Russian election interference, because it would have reflected poorly upon President Donald Trump.
Wolf, who has emerged as one oftrump’s most loyal Cabinet members, was pressed over how the agency had responded to unrest, election interference and domestic terrorism during a hearing that could propel him to become the first confirmed head of the department in more than a year.
Wolf’s confirmation hearing before the Senatehomeland Security and Governmental
Affairs Committee, lasting just under two hours, came amid allegations from current and formermembers of his department that the agency had mishandled or downplayed the rising threats of Russian interference and violent white supremacy.
Even the legitimacy of Wolf’s acting position was cast into doubt last month when the Government Accountability Office issued a report saying his appointment was illegal, a finding Wolf disregarded Wednesday as “nonbinding.”
“Vacancies and acting officials are a part of every administration, but they should be rare,” said Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the top Democrat on the committee. “This administration has abused vacancies to the detriment of this department.”
Wolf faced questions over allegations made by the department’s former intelligence chief, Brian Murphy. Murphy claimed that the acting secretary and his deputy, Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, directed him to hold back reports that warned of white supremacist extremismand Russian attempts to denigrate the mental health of Joebiden, thedemocratic nominee for president, because of how they would “reflect upon President Trump.”
Wolf repeatedhis defense that he did not withhold the intelligence bulletin about Biden in July because of its contents, but because he wanted the presentation of the findings improved. A copy of the September version of the bulletin obtained by the New York Times showed the report grew by about two pages and still detailed the efforts by Russia to interfere in the election and target Biden.
“I think the important part is the underlying intelligence did not change. I didn’t direct them to change it,” Wolf said. “Iwas focused on the quality of the product itself.”
Wolf also echoed commentsmade by Christopher A. Wray, the FBI director, during a House hearing last week that white supremacist extremists have been some of the most lethal among domestic terrorists in recent years. But he said the most deadly threats to the United States overall are foreign adversaries, pandemics and national disasters. He also said the government “cannot ignore” antigovernment groups, such as antifa, a leaderless coalition of people who oppose fascism but have at times used vandalism and violence to make their points.
Murphy had also said Wolf retaliated against him whenmurphy protested the blockingof the assessments, a claim Wolf denied Wednesday.
“I reject any claim that I attempted to influence or retaliate against any individual at DHS, but specifically Mr. Murphy,” he said.
The House Intelligence Committee and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General are investigating the assertions by Murphy, who is still an employee with the agency. Wolf demoted Murphy after it emerged that his office had included the tweets of American journalists in intelligence briefings distributed to law enforcement agencies, a step seen as a potential infringement on First Amendment rights.
Mark S. Zaid, Murphy’s lawyer, saidhe andhis client “outright challenge Mr. Wolf’s testimony.”
Former Homeland Security Department officials, including a former top terrorism official, Elizabeth Neumann, and chief of staff, Miles Taylor, have concurred that the administration downplayed threats of domestic terrorism and election interference.
Republicans used the hearing to portraywolf as a seasoned government officialwhohas usedhis experience in various branches of the department to respond to multiple national emergencies, including the coronavirus pandemic, national disasters and border crossings.
Wolf, who joined the department at its creation as a member of the Transportation Security Administration, was hailed by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-texas, for his response to demonstrations in Portland, Ore.
“Mr. Wolf took his responsibility to protect federal facilities and protect federal personnel with the greatest seriousness,” Cruz said.