House Democrats press USAID director over 'homophobic, misogynistic, and xenophobic' comments from appointees

Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs committee pressed John Barsa, the acting administrator of the US Agency for International Development, during a budget request hearing on why political appointees continue to work for an agency whose core mission is to promote pro-women, pro-LGBTQ and pro-immigrants foreign aid.

The questioning came after the committee's chairman Eliot Engel and other committee Democrats sent a letter on Wednesday night to Barsa, the acting administrator of the US Agency for International Development appointed by President Donald Trump in March, to demand the resignation of deputy White House liaison Merritt Corrigan.

"We write to protest the comments by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) political appointee Merritt Corrigan, and request that you demand her resignation from her position as deputy White House Liaison," the letter says. "Her record of public remarks, including disparaging LGBTQ people and those who express support for them, women in positions of leadership, and immigrants, is appalling, and has no place in a federal agency."

CNN's KFile reported in June that Corrigan expressed hostility toward refugees and immigrants calling for their deportation and said, "America has no moral imperative to accept immigrants." In other comments from 2019 and 2020, she mocked same-sex marriage, called for establishing a "Christian patriarchy," and wrote it was wrong to "empower" girls and tell them they are "equal" to men.

Barsa told the committee on Thursday that, "While someone is working for me, at USAID, regardless of hiring category -- civil service, foreign service officer or political appointee -- everyone is held to the same high moral, legal and ethical standards that have always existed."

Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly, a top Democrat on the committee, pressed Barsa on Corrigan's appointment and other controversial appointees.

"So if somebody came to you with an explicitly hate-filled racist rant and a history of it, posting it, tweeting it, going on bots and spreading it. As long as they said, 'Well, that was then this is now. I will adhere to the standards of USAID.' From your point of view, that's a qualified employee, or at least it's not a disqualified potential employee," Connolly asked.

"The appointment of political appointees occurs as a conversation between the White House and whatever agency in place," Barsa said. "So regarding the vetting and placement of appointees, I would have to refer you to the White House. What I can assure you, once they are in as an employee of mine at USAID, we have certain standards that we uphold people to."

Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas also pushed Barsa to explain the appointments, including that of Mark Kevin Lloyd, a religious freedom adviser who made Islamophobic and extremist comments on social media from 2010 to 2014, CNN's KFile reported, and Bethany Kozma, the new deputy chief of staff who has mocked trans people, according to ProPublica.

"But you have some folks in key positions who have made very bigoted comments. Have you had a conversation with them? Have you admonished them, at minimum? What action has been taken?" asked Castro.

Barsa declined to comment on personnel decisions and again referred to the White House on political appointments.

Barsa defended the appointees in a statement last month.

In a statement from June, he said, "I want to specifically condemn the unwarranted and malicious attacks on Deputy Chief of Staff Bethany Kozma, Deputy White House Liaison Merritt Corrigan, and Religious Freedom Advisor Mark Lloyd. USAID is honored to have Bethany Kozma, Merritt Corrigan, and Mark Lloyd serve at the agency. They are committed to enacting the policies of President Donald J. Trump."