Congressional Hearing Reveals Misuse of Foreign Assistance Funds
The Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability recently held a hearing on the misuse of foreign assistance funds that supported drag shows in Ecuador and atheism in Nepal. They discussed how to return to the proper use of foreign assistance for the benefit of America’s National Security.
Mr. Robert Destro, the Former Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of State, testified that neither Congress nor the President effectively controls the funds, but that it is the federal agencies handling foreign assistance funds that are taking charge of foreign policy. The U.S. Constitution puts the President in charge of foreign policy, but the lack of transparency allows the agencies to push their own agenda.
Chairman Mast asked whether tax-funded drag shows in Ecuador and promoting atheism in Nepal were outlier examples of how federal funds are being used or whether they are just the tip of the iceberg. The witnesses who served in the State Department said it was impossible to know. While Mr. Destro asked the State Department to build a real-time database to help track where it was spending the funds, he eventually admitted that “The fact of the matter is, Mr. Mast, we don't know the answer to your question because the information is opaque and unavailable”.
On the topic of misinformation and disinformation, Mr. Destro added that Congress is funding and maintaining a vast “counter state” with its censorship programs to limit freedom of speech and religion at home and abroad, and its noxious theories about racial and cultural identity. Mr. Destro said the Counter State has no interest in releasing “That data [because it] is pretty inconvenient. It will cause an uproar in the countries if the information gets out.
With this lack of transparency, suspicion of America meddling in other countries' domestic policies is increasing. The latest example is the country of Georgia. All governments, including ours, are suspicious of individuals and organizations operating within their territories while serving the interests of someone else.
Mr. James Richardson, the former Director of the Office of Foreign Assistance at the U.S. Department of State added that foreign assistance should enhance our foreign policy and economic goals but that it should “never be used to advance ideological or personal agendas. It should only be used to advance the national security goals of the United States.”
