Democrats often love a good oversight performance until someone turns the question back on them.
During a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was testifying when Senator Kirsten Gillibrand attempted to shift the focus into an ethics attack. Her target was a Department of Transportation initiative called The Great American Road Trip, which is tied to America 250 and the nation’s 250th birthday celebration.
Gillibrand accused Duffy of using his office politically, alleging that the project was funded by companies including Boeing, Toyota, United Airlines, Enterprise, Shell, and Royal Caribbean Group.
Duffy countered that the initiative was part of an official America 250 partnership through a nonprofit organization and that Congress itself had sanctioned the America 250 effort. He also stated that promoting tourism and travel is within the Transportation Department’s responsibilities.
When Gillibrand argued that the project should not have been funded by entities under his oversight, Duffy redirected the conversation. He questioned whether she has jurisdiction over law firms and then revealed that she had received $7 million in political contributions from the trial bar.
Gillibrand objected that the hearing was about Duffy and the Trump administration, but Duffy maintained he made no personal profit from the project. The exchange became tense as Duffy refused to accept the premise that only the administration side of the table could be questioned regarding money and influence.
The hearing concluded with Duffy delivering a line that drew widespread attention: “Well, maybe you should be.”
