[ein0p]

Wonders never cease: HN now supports the CIA regime change front that funded coups in dozens of countries, as well as laundered hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars to all sorts of shady special interest groups and political operatives domestically and abroad, and was responsible for funding illegal GoF research that led to COVID. Is this really the organization y'all want to carry water for?

[dave4420]

Rule of law, mate, rule of law. Lose that and you lose everything.

[ein0p]

Reorganizing USAID into State Dept is lawful. That's what's going to happen.

[CamperBob2]

Not if it has the effect of circumventing Congressional funding discretion.

[iszomer]

`Has` or `has had`? -- I'm confused.

I probably shouldn't be doing this and it feels dirty but ChatGPT wrote:

"When has Congress (and what occasions) tried to investigate USAID?"

> Congress has investigated USAID (United States Agency for International Development) on multiple occasions, often focusing on issues such as mismanagement of funds, political influence, and the effectiveness of aid programs. Some key investigations include:

    Cold War & Covert Activities (1960s–1980s)
        USAID programs were scrutinized for allegedly being used as fronts for CIA operations, particularly in Latin America and Southeast Asia.
        Example: USAID’s involvement in funding educational and media programs in Chile before the 1973 coup.

    Post-9/11 Reconstruction Efforts (2000s–2010s)
        Congress investigated USAID’s role in Afghanistan and Iraq reconstruction, particularly allegations of waste, fraud, and inefficiency.
        Example: The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) frequently reported on USAID’s mismanagement of billions in aid.

    Cuban Democracy Programs (2014)
        Senate and House committees examined USAID’s involvement in funding “Cuban Twitter” (ZunZuneo)—a covert social media platform aimed at fostering dissent against the Cuban government.
        Lawmakers questioned whether USAID was exceeding its humanitarian mission.

    COVID-19 Response & Global Health Funding (2020–2021)
        USAID’s pandemic response efforts, including funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) and vaccine distribution, were scrutinized by Congress.
        Some lawmakers alleged mismanagement of funds and lack of transparency.

    Ukraine Aid & Oversight (2022–2023)
        House Republicans, especially through the House Oversight and Foreign Affairs Committees, have investigated USAID’s funding for Ukraine, focusing on potential misuse and lack of accountability.
        This inquiry continues, with some lawmakers calling for increased auditing of foreign aid.

[ein0p]

Has it been circumvented? No? Then what's the problem?

[CamperBob2]

So far, at least one judge seems to think so [1]: "Defendants' actions appear to suffer from infirmities of a constitutional magnitude."

1: https://bsky.app/profile/joshuajfriedman.com/post/3lhckndvvb...

[ein0p]

That's just what she seems to think, literally. I'd also be surprised if she thought any different given that she's been appointed by Biden.