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IG nominee pressed over partisan praise and recusal plans at Senate hearing
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Summary
At a Senate hearing, a committee member read lines from Mr. Bell’s opening statement pledging support for President Trump and Secretary Kennedy and asked whether that undercut an inspector general’s independence; Mr. Bell said he would call ‘‘balls and strikes’’ and Mr. Wach said recusals are fact‑specific and he would follow laws and guidance.
WASHINGTON — A Senate committee exchange on inspector general independence and recusals focused Tuesday on whether two witnesses would put oversight ahead of partisan loyalty.
A senator on the panel read from an opening statement attributed to Mr. Bell that pledged “to support the initiatives of President Trump and Secretary Kennedy” and “their courageous and innovative change of direction for the improved health care of all Americans,” and asked whether such language was compatible with the watchdog role of an inspector general.
Mr. Bell replied that by “initiatives” he meant broadly shared goals — improving health‑care delivery, strengthening compliance with federal statutes to preserve Medicare and Medicaid, and rooting out waste, fraud and abuse. He said the Inspector General Act contemplates both cooperation with agency heads and the IG’s authority to initiate independent investigations and reviews.
Pressed on whether he would refuse a presidential request to stop an investigation, Mr. Bell said he had no experience being asked to do anything unethical and that, if confirmed, he would “call balls and strikes without secretly wearing a jersey for the pitcher or the batter,” a phrasing he attributed to Senator Wyden.
The committee also questioned Mr. Wach about his prior work at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The senator asked whether he would recuse himself from matters he personally worked on at USDA. Mr. Wach said that recusals are “very fact specific” and pledged to follow “all federal laws applicable to federal employees, all regulations” and guidance from the Office of Government Ethics, and to consult with IG counsel and the office of compliance and integrity to ensure professional standards and independence in work products.
The exchange centered on how nominees for oversight roles balance cooperation with agency leadership against the obligation to independently investigate and hold agencies accountable. No formal vote or resolution appears in the provided transcript.
The remarks occurred during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
