Without DHS Witnesses In Hearing, Whistleblower Claims Likely Go Unaddressed

The empty chair at the House Homeland Security Committee on Thursday can't answer members' questions about the recent goings-on within the Department of Homeland Security.

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf rejected a subpoena to appear, but DHS says acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli was prepped in his place.

Majority Democrats on the committee suggested Thursday that the move was an attempt to shield department leadership from facing difficult problems within the sprawling department. (Follow updates on the hearing here.)

One recent story concerns allegations by a whistleblower who says she observed medical neglect of detainees held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is part of DHS, as well as what the complainant calls questionable hysterectomies.

Nurse Dawn Wooten surfaced that complaint, and Democrats have demanded an investigation; critics called it the latest example of what they say is a trend of neglect of detainees by agencies within DHS.