VIDEO: Ricketts Slams Biden for Lack of Transparency: “Americans Deserve Better”
September 13, 2023
Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) slammed President Biden and his administration for its lack of transparency on a variety of important issues. Ricketts made the comments during a conference call with Nebraska media.
“The Biden White House promised to be the ‘most transparent government in history’ but has repeatedly failed to follow through on that promise…,’” Ricketts said. “President Biden has held the fewest news conferences of any president since Reagan. He’s held the fewest press interviews since Reagan. He has refused to keep visitor logs for his personal residence in Delaware, where he has spent almost 40% of his time. And in spite of growing questions about his relationship to his son’s foreign business deals, he refuses to release his secret emails from pseudonym accounts set up as Vice President to avoid public records requests. Americans deserve better.”
Ricketts highlighted his experiences with the Biden administration’s lack of transparency on the Iran Deal, the attack submarine plans necessary for a successful AUKUS deal, and the partisan release of Renewable Fuel Standard volume obligations earlier this year.
Watch the video here.
TRANSCRIPT:
Senator Ricketts: “I’m incredibly frustrated with the lack of transparency from President Biden and his administration on a variety of important issues.
“The Biden White House promised to be the “most transparent government in history” but it has repeatedly failed to follow through on that promise.
“The examples since I’ve arrived in Washington are piling up.
“Just last night, we found out the Biden administration authorized the transfer of $6 billion to Iran in advance of a new prisoner deal.
“Back in June, I told the Biden administration Congress should not be hearing about a new Iran deal in the news.
“The American people soundly rejected the last Iran deal.
“Iran backs terrorism against our allies and against Americans.
“I welcome any American coming home, but putting a price on their heads by negotiating with an enemy only puts more American lives in jeopardy.
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there.
“Last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee had a hearing on AUKUS – the Australia-United Kingdom-United States security partnership.
“This is a major initiative, and it has a lot of bipartisan support – including from me.
“To fulfill the terms of AUKUS, we will need to significantly increase production of our attack submarines.
“The Biden administration has refused to provide Congress with their specific plans and funding requirements.
“I called on the Biden administration to share the information with us so we can expand our submarine industrial base and make AUKUS a success.
“This is critical to deterring adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party.
“It makes no sense for a president to withhold information from Congress about an issue that has such strong bipartisan support.
“But sadly, this isn’t the only time this has happened. Each year, the EPA releases new Renewable Fuel Standard volume obligations which set the minimum amount of renewable fuel blended into gasoline for the coming year.
“Renewable fuels are another issue with major bipartisan support in Congress. Despite this, the Biden EPA leaked the final rule to only Democrat offices during market hours of trading.
“The sensitive information from this partisan briefing leaked to private sector stakeholders which could have potentially impacted the stock market.
“This lack of transparency was irresponsible and completely unjustified.
“The lack of transparency doesn’t end there, however.
“President Biden has held the fewest news conferences than any president since Reagan. He’s held the fewest press interviews since Reagan.
“He has refused to keep visitor logs for his personal residence in Delaware, where he has spent almost 40% of his time.
“And in spite of growing questions about his relationship to his son’s foreign business deals, he refuses to release his secret emails from a pseudonym account – several pseudonym accounts – he set up as Vice President to avoid public records requests.
“Americans deserve better. I will continue to raise these issues until we get answers on these important issues.”