WASHINGTON- House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) and House Budget Committee Ranking Member-Elect Jason Smith (R-Mo.) today flagged serious concerns over three potential cabinet picks-Anthony Blinken for Secretary of State, Alejandro Mayorkas for Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Neera Tanden for Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Republican members wrote the Biden-Harris Transition Team, raising substantial questions about the backgrounds of Blinken, Mayorkas, and Tanden, especially conflicts of interest.
In the letter to incoming Chief of Staff and member of the transition team Ron Klain, the Republican members expressed concern about Blinken’s consulting work at a firm he cofounded, WestExec Advisors. The consulting firm has foreign ties, undisclosed clients, and has helped U.S. businesses expand in China. Comer and Smith wrote, “If Mr. Blinken becomes our nation’s top diplomat, his possible financial ties to China are disconcerting, especially when China has consistently, both overtly and covertly, sought to undermine American interests."
On the potential appointment of Mayorkas, the Republican members raised concerns about his inappropriate influence in awarding Chinese investment firms visas that put beneficiaries on a pathway to citizenship. During his time as head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services under the Obama Administration, Mayorkas was accused of awarding green cards to Chinese investors connected to wealthy Democrat donors, including then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe, and former Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell. In doing so, the DHS Inspector General found that it created an “appearance of favoritism and special access." Mayorkas’ role in initiating family detention at the border and building “cages" for the housing of families also should be examined.
On Neera Tanden’s appointment, the Republican members raised alarms over her background, including bullying, outing a victim of sexual harassment, making viciously partisan statements, and exhibiting poor leadership overall. They also raised concerns about the think tank she has led for nine years, the Center for American Progress, and its ties to deep-pocketed corporate interests.
Comer and Smith also sent a request letter to the co-founders and managing partners of WestExec Advisors regarding Blinken’s and proposed nominee to Director of Intelligence Avril Haines’ potential conflicts of interest. WestExec Advisors-a secretive consulting firm with foreign ties, at which Haines and Blinken are advisors-scrubbed references about its China-related work and the Biden transition team deliberately removed references to the consulting firm from their bios on the transition website.
