Criminal Referrals Possible for USAID Employees

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said Wednesday her Delivering on Government Efficiency Subcommittee will consider recommending "criminal referrals" to individuals she believes have misused U.S. foreign aid.

The Georgia Republican's comments came during the second hearing of the subcommittee designed to complement efforts by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to root out supposed waste, fraud and abuse — this one focused on scrutinizing the Biden administration for spending billions of dollars in foreign assistance and distributing that money among programs across the globe.

“Maybe we should consider investigating whether USAID funding has made it back to Democrat campaigns,” said Greene, the subcommittee chair, referring to the U.S. Agency for International Development.

“Has it affected elections? The real questions the American people deserve to know answers to, are these.”

She also noted, "this committee, based on this hearing and witness testimonies, will consider recommending investigations and criminal referrals."

Greene told reporters after the hearing that she was not ready to give any names for potential criminal referral targets. But during the hearing, Greene pointed to Hunter Biden, the former President’s son whose role on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma has long drawn scrutiny from Republicans who accuse the elder Biden of leveraging his position to help his family’s interests. Joe Biden issued his son a blanket pardon in the final days of his presidency.

She also questioned what USAID was doing under the leadership of former administrator Samantha Power, and why Power visited Hungary to strengthen democratic institutions.

The hearing comes on the heels of the Trump administration's decision to freeze foreign aid, as well as its support for DOGE's help in unilaterally dismantling the USAID. The moves have already prompted litigation.

Greene's comments reflect the degree to which House Republicans are continuing to pillory Biden administration officials even after the former president has retreated from public view.

They also land as Trump loyalists continue to fill out the ranks of the federal law enforcement apparatus, with the new president not backing down in his stated intentions to seek retribution against individuals he deems as political adversaries.