Darrell Issa Questions Kari Lake on VOA 'Ghost Employees' and Taxpayer Funds

Concerns Over VOA Spending

• 🎯 Rep. Darrell Issa questioned Kari Lake regarding the spending of taxpayer money by the Voice of America (VOA).
• 💡 The core issue raised was the payment of hundreds of millions of dollars, with a specific focus on whether this money was best spent.

Allegations of 'Ghost Employees'

• ❓ Lake confirmed that 500 individuals received payments while employed by the agency and subsequently left, with their whereabouts now untraceable.
• ⚠️ Issa pressed on the inability to verify the identities and daily work performance of these individuals, raising the possibility of 'ghost employees' or funds being diverted.
• 🔍 An audit was deemed appropriate by both Issa and Lake, with Lake stating an audit is currently in progress.

Obstacles to Audit and Oversight

• 🚧 Issa expressed frustration, stating that the audit process has been met with stonewalling from entities like Radio for Europe, Radio Free Asia, and Middle East Broadcasting.
• 🤝 Promises of cooperation were only made on the eve of the hearing, after weeks of delay.

Agency Mission and Propaganda Concerns

• 🚫 Issa clarified that VOA does not fund entities like Al Jazeera or the Russian outlet Pravda, identifying them as propaganda machines adverse to U.S. interests.
• 🇺🇸 The consensus was that the agency's mission should be to promote the legitimate interests of the United States and tell America's story.

Future of VOA and Editorial Control

• 🗣️ A discussion ensued about VOA's editorial firewall, which prevents oversight over content, even when aligned with presidential or State Department policy.
• 🏛️ Issa proposed that going forward, there should be a single point of contact that is responsible, responsive, accountable, and auditable, with congressional oversight.
• 🔄 Lake indicated that President Trump's directive is to delete the agency, and any salvageable worthwhile functions should be brought under the Department of State's public diplomacy arm.