Republican connects Noem’s dog shooting story to her reign at DHS during live hearing

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.) has only ten more months left in office, and he didn't waste his opportunity to face off against Secretary Kristi Noem, who leads the Department of Homeland Security.

"What we've see is a disaster under your leadership," he told her, specifically naming President Donald Trump's deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, who reportedly set quotas for the department. Tillis complained that what Homeland Security should be doing is going after domestic terrorists like those who destroyed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

"Maybe we'll have time for you to respond, but I'm giving you a performance evaluation," he exclaimed, interrupting her efforts to comment.

"You failed at FEMA," he continued, citing funding allocated for North Carolina and how slow the department has been to release the money. Those funds are being held up by her, he said.

"I'm gonna give you time to answer it under penalty of perjury so we can get an answer," Tillis said.

He went on to cite the federal law that created the Homeland Security department, saying, "You're violating the law, either knowingly or unknowingly," by not distributing funding approved by Congress for FEMA.

He then pivoted to talk about how important it is to have the backs of law enforcement and that it means making sure law enforcement is protected but also held accountable when they do something wrong. What has happened in Minneapolis, he argued, has been wrong and a complete failure.

"Now secretary, I read your book last week," Tillis continued, mentioning the passage where Noem admits to shooting a puppy. "I train dogs. You are a farmer. You should know better."

Tillis noted that a 14-month-old dog isn't the kind of dog that is expected to be perfectly trained. He described it as a kind of "teenager" and not the kind of animal that is taken on a hunting trip.

"Then you have the audacity to say it's a leadership lesson," Tillis shouted at her for shooting the dog.

"Those are bad decisions made in the heat of the moment. Not unlike what happened in Minneapolis," he said, tying the two incidents together.

Tillis went on to question why DHS can't admit that it made horrible mistakes in Minneapolis, do the proper investigations and hold those responsible accountable.

He then asked who Tom Homan worked for, DHS or Trump, and she said he works for the president. He said the reason for that is that Trump clearly saw what a horrible failure she was at her job and had to bring Homan in to clean up the mess.

"That is why I call for your resignation," he closed, continuing to demand answers from her office. He said further that he wouldn't allow a single nominee to go through the Senate until she responds to his questions.

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