All articles tagged with #oversight hearing
Pam Bondi, during her first Senate Judiciary Committee hearing as Attorney General, displayed a confrontational and dismissive attitude, refusing to answer questions and using sharp retorts, reflecting her alignment with Trump’s style and priorities amid a broader political and constitutional crisis.
Lawmakers are preparing for a joint oversight hearing on Feb. 12 to question McKee administration officials about the sudden closure of the Washington Bridge, focusing on the bridge's safety inspection process and the response of Gov. Dan McKee and R.I. Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti. Multiple examinations of the bridge's issues are underway, including internal and independent engineering analyses, as well as investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice and the inspector general for the U.S. Department of Transportation. The closure of the westbound bridge, which carried about 90,000 vehicles daily, has caused traffic disruptions and political challenges for state leaders.
The CEOs of eight major U.S. banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Goldman Sachs, will face questioning at a Senate Banking Committee hearing on December 6. The committee, led by Chairman Sherrod Brown, aims to hold the banks accountable for their record profits and the impact on American consumers. The hearing follows increased oversight efforts by the committee, particularly regarding failed banks such as Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and First Republic. The high-profile hearing could have political implications for Brown, who is running for reelection in Ohio.
The New York City Council plans to hold an oversight hearing in the fall to examine the billions of dollars in no-bid contracts awarded by the Adams administration to address the city's significant migrant influx. The contracts have raised concerns from politicians on both sides of the aisle, prompting calls for transparency and accountability. Councilwoman Gale Brewer will lead the hearing, focusing on reviewing the contracts and the programs they support. Councilwoman Inna Vernikov intends to introduce a bill mandating a public website to track taxpayer spending on migrants. The contracts, issued under a state of emergency, have not undergone thorough review by the City Comptroller's office. Mayor Eric Adams estimates the cost of the migrant crisis could reach $12 billion over the next three years.
The Baltimore City Council has scheduled an oversight hearing to investigate why the police and housing authority were unaware of the annual Brooklyn Day block party, which ended in a mass shooting that left two dead and 28 injured. The event, which has been held for the past three decades, did not have any police assigned to it. The hearing will focus on the police department's planning and response, as well as the communication between various agencies. The police department has declined to answer questions ahead of the hearing, and the housing authority has largely blamed the lack of knowledge on the residents. Some community members and experts argue that a better relationship between the police and the community could have helped prevent the incident.
FBI Director Christopher Wray is set to face intense scrutiny from Republican critics during an oversight hearing before the House Judiciary Committee. The hearing will provide an opportunity for conservatives to question Wray on FBI operations, including the agency's role in the federal case against former President Donald Trump. Wray may also face inquiries from both parties regarding the FBI's use of the controversial surveillance tool known as Section 702, which is set to expire at the end of the year. Some committee Republicans have even co-sponsored a resolution to impeach Wray.
The Baltimore City Council's Public Safety Committee has announced that it will hold an oversight hearing on July 13 to examine the responses of the police and other agencies to a mass shooting that occurred during an annual block party in South Baltimore. Acting Police Commissioner Richard Worley admitted that the police were "too late" in addressing the need for more resources in the area before the shooting took place. Community members and leaders have criticized the police department's lack of presence at the event, and there are calls for accountability for the breakdown in security and safety protocols. The police are still searching for suspects, and a reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest.