Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings called on the Government Accountability Office to take a look at President-elect Donald Trump's transition into the White House.
"We are concerned about reports of 'disarray' within a 'chaotic' transition, and ask that your review address several concerns, including conflicts of interest related to business holdings of Mr. Trump and his family; potential violations of protocol and security precautions related to Mr. Trump's communications with foreign leaders; and transparency related to the use of taxpayer funds in the transition," the Democratic lawmakers wrote in a letter to GAO Comptroller Gen. Gene L. Dodaro.
Warren and Cummings urged the GAO to move quickly "because the transition will last only until Jan. 20, 2017," when Trump is inaugurated.
Congress has sent $9.5 million in taxpayer money to the General Services Administration to fund the president-elect and his staff in the transition, they wrote, and because of that, calls for a closer look is required into potential issues.
They asked the GAO to look at four questions:
- "To what extent have Trump's conflicts of interest have affected his presidential transition?"
- "Has the Trump transition used taxpayer dollars efficiently and effectively?"
- "Has the transition appropriately followed rules, protocol, and precedent for communicating with foreign governments?"
- "Has the 'disarray' within Trump's transition team affected his ability to serve the American public beginning on Jan. 20, 2017?"
"Mr. Trump's apparent conflicts of interest — and his behavior during the campaign and after his election — raise questions about the use of taxpayer funds during the transition, and about the decisions made during the transition that will affect federal government policies under the Trump Administration," Warren and Cummings continued.
"At this point, it is not clear if the line between Mr. Trump's Presidency and his business ventures is blurred — or entirely nonexistent."
Warren has expressed concern with Trump's transition efforts before, saying the president-elect was stocking his team with "Wall Street elites" and corporate lobbyists.