Cause of Action, a government accountability group which has investigated Department of Homeland Security Deputy Inspector General (IG) Charles Edwards, issued the following response to the letter sent by Chairman McCaskill and Ranking Member Johnson to IG Edwards regarding his delay in providing information related to the Senate’s investigation.

Executive Director Dan Epstein:

“The lack of transparency by and failure of IG Edwards to provide documents to Cause of Action pertaining to allegations of misconduct and abuse drove us to sue DHS for records. But now DHS has taken a new and alarming stance in their affront to transparency: denying both the public’s access to documents as well as stonewalling Congress. Edwards’ failure has now extended beyond a refusal to provide documents; six members of his staff are refusing to conduct interviews with congressional investigators. IG Edwards must be held accountable for his alleged misconduct and his deliberate and continued objection to the public’s right to know about it.”