Rep. Mike Lawler: USAID Gave ‘Over $3 Million to a Rap Artist in Gaza Producing Anti-Israel, Anti-Semitic Songs’

SCARBOROUGH: “With us now, let’s bring in Republican Congressman Mike Lawler. He is from New York. He’s a member of the Financial Services and Foreign Affairs Committees. He’s also a chair of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee. So, governor, that’s what we’d call you in the South if you were thinking about running for governor, governor, I want to get to your hearing today with Fed Chairman Powell. Let’s start first though with USAID. We were just talking about it. I support, I pep for, I support these programs because they save so many lives, but I also support it strategically as an old Cold War conservative, I understand that boots on the ground are important, but also humanitarian aid is important. It’s also important what intel we pick up, whether it’s from the Ivory Coast or Sudan or other parts of Africa and other continents. I’m curious what your thought is on how USAID should be approached.”
LAWLER: “Well, Joe, we’re actually going to have a hearing tomorrow on USAID in the Foreign Affairs Committee, and a lot of these issues will be discussed. When you look at a program like PEPFAR, I have been very strong in my support for it. Sixty percent of PEPFAR’s program is administered by USAID. Secretary Rubio did grant a waiver for life-saving programs like PEPFAR, which obviously is critical on the continent of Africa, saving tens of millions of lives over the last two decades. Probably one of the best soft power accomplishments of the United States foreign aid program ever. But then you look at some of the expenditures by USAID. For instance, I uncovered over $3 million to a rap artist in Gaza producing anti-Israel, anti-Semitic songs. Is that the best use of American taxpayer dollars? I would venture not.”
SCARBOROUGH: “Right.”
LAWLER: “And so one of the things that we’re going to do in this hearing tomorrow, obviously, is go through what actually is the role of USAID, what should they be focused on, and frankly, what have they been focused on? And I think one of the things to keep in mind, Joe, in other parts of the world, some of the woke ideology that USAID was promoting is not welcomed by the people or the governments, and it actually can be counterproductive to what we’re trying to accomplish.”
SCARBOROUGH: “Right.”
LAWLER: “So I think one of the things we need to recognize — [crosstalk]”
SCARBOROUGH: “So — so — but that — that’s what — that’s what — that’s what you guys do, though. Like, that’s what you go through —”
LAWLER: “Yeah.”
SCARBOROUGH: “— in subcommittees. That’s — it;s — it’s not like some radical Berkeley professor said, ‘Hey, let’s give $3 million to a rap artist in Gaza who’s going to do anti-American and anti-Israel.’“
LAWLER: “No, the Biden —”
SCARBOROUGH: “No.”
LAWLER: “— the Biden Administration did.”
SCARBOROUGH: “No. But — but —”
LAWLER: “That’s part of the problem here.”
SCARBOROUGH: “— but — but you — you have Congress, though, who funds USAID. So —”
LAWLER: “Yes.”
SCARBOROUGH: “— shouldn’t you all be making these calls instead of —”
LAWLER: “Yeah.”
SCARBOROUGH: “— Elon Musk?”
LAWLER: “But — but Joe, one thing I will tell you, and — and you as a former member of Congress certainly understand this, in the separation of powers, sometimes when you’re asking for information, the executive Branch doesn’t want to share it. We had numerous hearings last Congress, we sent numerous letters to Samantha Power, to USAID, requesting more information, and for obvious reasons, they didn’t want to provide it. What you’ve seen in the last few weeks, frankly, while some people may object, you certainly understand, Joe, oftentimes government moves at a glacial pace.”
SCARBOROUGH: “Right.”
LAWLER: “And so, yes, we have seen things move very rapidly. But oftentimes, when you’re making a — you know, an omelet, you’ve got to crack a few eggs. And I do think that, unfortunately, is necessary as we’re actually trying to uncover what these agencies and departments are doing, what they’re spending money on, and is it in keeping with the United States mission. There’s no question —”
SCARBOROUGH: “Right.”
LAWLER: “— humanitarian aid, soft power is critical to our foreign policy. And when it comes to issues like PEPFAR, when it comes to issues like feeding the hungry, yes —”
SCARBOROUGH: “Right.”
LAWLER: “— that is a primary mission.”
SCARBOROUGH: “Yeah.”
LAWLER: “But that’s not exactly what USAID has been focused on.”
SCARBOROUGH: “Well, I mean —”