OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL Department of Homeland Security

Washington, DC 20528 / www.oig.dhs.gov

COUNSEL TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

MEMORANDUM

DATE: August 31, 2020

The Honorable TO: Acting Secretary

James M. Read FROM: Counsel to the Inspector General

SUBJECT: Retraction of February 13, 2019 finding and recommendation

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This is to notify you that the Office of Inspector General retracts the February 13, 2019 memorandum from Acting Inspector General John Kelly to the Honorable Kirstjen Nielsen finding that then-Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs Christine Ciccone* failed to cooperate with an Inspector General review and recommending that then-Secretary Nielsen take appropriate disciplinary action.

There was not an adequate factual basis for the finding in our office’s February 13, 2019 memorandum.

cc: The Honorable Stephen Biegun Deputy Secretary of State Department of State

Diana R. Shaw Acting Inspector General Department of State

The Honorable Eliot Engel, Chairman The Honorable Michael McCaul, Ranking Member Committee on Foreign Affairs U.S. House of Representatives

* Ms. Ciccone’s current position is CFO Advisor, Budgets & Legislative Coordination.

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL Department of Homeland Security

The Honorable , Chairwoman The Honorable , Ranking Member Committee on Oversight and Reform U.S. House of Representatives

The Honorable James E. Risch, Chairman The Honorable Bob Menendez, Ranking Member Committee on Foreign Relations U.S. Senate

The Honorable Ron Johnson, Chairman The Honorable Gary Peters, Ranking Member Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs U.S. Senate

The Honorable , Chairman The Honorable Mike Rogers, Ranking Member Committee on Homeland Security U.S. House of Representatives

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