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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 13 January 2021

Trump Homeland Security chief abruptly quits at tense time

By BEN FOX wake of the Sept. 11, 2001,
Associated Press terrorist attacks.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- The department was ac-
dent Donald Trump’s act- cused during his tenure by
ing head of the Depart- a whistleblower of suppress-
ment of Homeland Security ing facts in intelligence re-
abruptly resigned Monday, ports that Trump might find
leaving the post ahead of objectionable, including
schedule as the nation fac- information about Russian
es a heightened terrorism interference in the election
threat from extremists seek- and the rising threat posed
ing to reverse the election. by white supremacists. Wolf
The announcement by act- and the department de-
ing DHS Secretary Chad nied the allegations.
Wolf was perplexing. It The acting secretary de-
came less than a week af- fended his tenure in his
ter he pledged to remain statement to employees,
in office and just 10 days saying DHS had strength-
before the inauguration of ened border security and
President-elect Joe Biden. successfully launched the
Wolf cited a legal chal- cybersecurity agency that
lenge to his leadership as helped safeguard the 2020
a reason for his resigna- election.
tion, but that had surfaced In this Sept. 23, 2020, file photo, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf testifies before “I leave knowing that the
months ago. the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee during his confirmation Department has posi-
“For months we have hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Associated Press tioned itself for an orderly
known Chad Wolf has and smooth transition to
been serving illegally in “recent events,” including overseen by DHS. nation. President-elect Biden’s
his position, so the timing court rulings that found he Wolf’s departure followed It was unclear what prompt- DHS team,” he wrote.
of his resignation from the could not legally hold the the abrupt resignation of ed him to change course “Welcome them, educate
Department today is ques- position. He did not specify other Cabinet officials an- with the nation braced for them, and learn from them.
tionable,” said Rep. Bennie the other events or cite oth- gered by Trump’s role in the potential for more vio- They are your leaders for
Thompson, the chairman of er factors. encouraging the mob to lence ahead of the Jan. 20 the next four years — a
the House Homeland Se- “These events and con- storm the Capitol on Jan. 6 inauguration. The FBI has time which undoubtedly
curity Committee. “He has cerns increasingly serve over his false claims of elec- warned of plans for armed will be full of challenges
chosen to resign during a to divert attention and re- tion fraud. protests at all 50 state capi- and opportunities to show
time of national crisis and sources away from the im- Wolf condemned the vio- tals and in Washington, D.C the American public the
when domestic terrorists portant work of the Depart- lent attack on the Capitol The White House had no value of DHS and why it is
may be planning addition- ment in this critical time of by Trump supporters, call- immediate comment. worth the investment.”
al attacks on our govern- a transition of power,” he ing it “tragic and sicken- Wolf led DHS as it carried Peter Gaynor, the ad-
ment.” said in a written message ing.” He also said then he out Trump administration ministrator of the Federal
Wolf, who had been serv- to DHS employees. would stay on at DHS until priorities on immigration Emergency Management
ing in an acting capacity The resignation comes a the end of the administra- and law enforcement, Agency, will serve as acting
since November 2019 and day before Trump is set to tion to ensure a smooth prompting criticism that he head of the Department of
was never confirmed by visit the U.S.-Mexico bor- transition and to help the politicized a department Homeland Security until the
the Senate, said he was der wall, Trump’s signature department stay focused that was created to better Biden administration takes
compelled to leave by political project and one on the threats facing the protect the nation in the over. q

IRS gets more relief payments out after delays

By SARAH SKIDMORE SELL is no long active. By law, H&R Block said its custom-
AP Personal Finance Writer the financial institution ers should have received
The IRS said that after initial must return payments sent their payments already. Tur-
problems, it is getting more to closed or inactive ac- boTax said that payments
of the second round of re- counts. for customers affected by
lief payments to taxpayers. While there is no exact the error were deposited
The government began measure of how often this on Friday.
distributing the payments, happened, the National The IRS said Tuesday that
worth $600 per eligible Consumer Law Center esti- it worked over the week-
adult and dependent, at mates that up to 20 million end to help a smaller set of
the end of December. Americans may have been impacted taxpayers and
However, many people impacted by the adminis- is reissuing payments for
who filed their taxes with an trative issue. eligible taxpayers whose In this April 23, 2020 file photo, President Donald J.Trump’s name
online preparation service A number of tax prepara- accounts may have been is printed on a stimulus check issued by the IRS to help combat
initially found that their tion companies said that closed. Those reissued pay- the adverse economic effects of the COVID-19 outbreak in San
payment did not make it they were able to resolve ments may come in the Antonio.
to them directly. That is be- the issues. H&R Block said form of a direct deposit or Associated Press
cause money may have its customer payments by mail — either as a paper are due or have received ers see online with its Get
been sent to a temporary were processed as of last check or debit card. these reissued payments. My Payment tool may not
bank account established Wednesday, January 6. It did not have a measure The IRS reiterated that be accurate as they work
by the tax preparer, which Aside from special cases, of how many taxpayers the information taxpay- through the updates.q