Kristi Noem’s Congressional Charade: Evasion, Gaslighting, and a Broken Oath
Testifying Before Congress: You’re Sworn to Tell the Truth — No Exceptions
It is not your job to avoid answering questions, and you’re not entitled to gaslight members of Congress responsible for oversight.
Kristi Noem is the United States Secretary of Homeland Security. You might remember Kristi. She was the congresswoman who wrote in her book about killing her dog.
Before giving the testimony on Wednesday before the House Homeland Security Committee, she raised her right hand and was sworn in as a witness pursuant to the following oath:
"Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"
When Congressman Eric Swalwell asked her a straightforward question about whether the “MS13” tattoo was photoshopped on a picture, she refused to give a straight answer.
It was a simple “yes” or “no” question.
A witness is either required to provide a “yes” or “no” answer or state, for a valid reason, that they are unable to answer the question.
She didn’t do this because she knows what Trump said during his live video several weeks earlier. He was called out by ABC News' Terry Moran for believing the “MS13” tattoo was real when Moran advised him it’s been confirmed to be photoshopped.
It’s all in the video below.
In any case, Noem did the same with Congressman Daniel Goldman. The Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that Garcia’s removal to El Salvador was illegal and ordered the Trump administration to facilitate his release from custody in El Salvador.
Goldman asked straightforward questions. But as she did with Swalwell, Noem refused to be forthright and honest, failing to answer his questions under oath.
Instead of providing truthful testimony — the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth — she evaded the questions and gaslighted both Congressmen and, frankly, everyone on the oversight committee.
By the way, it’s Noem’s obligation to report to the committee. This isn’t a courtesy or option. It’s a requirement.
So, to put all of this into proper context, I want you to watch clips of Wednesday’s sworn testimony. What happened during this hearing isn’t OK.
Noem Works for The American Taxpayer
Here’s the deal: Noem works for you. She works for me. She works for the American taxpayer.
She’s not Donald Trump’s personal lawyer or handler.
It’s unacceptable for Noem to refuse to comply with her sworn oath by giving unresponsive and evasive answers.
If Kristi Noem and others can’t be honest about something as basic as a photoshopped image or a 9-0 Supreme Court order, how can we possibly trust them to tell the truth about critical issues like national security, Signalgate, or the endless conflicts of interest surrounding Trump’s business dealings?
When leaders prioritize personal gain over public duty, integrity becomes the first casualty.
Mitch Jackson, Esq. | links
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