Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA) used a House Oversight Committee hearing nominally focused on SNAP fraud to instead grill USDA Inspector General John Walk on his qualifications before pivoting to a prop-assisted takedown of an actual Trump-connected contractor accused of fraud.
The first-term Democratic Virginia congressman opened his questioning period in the June 25 session by establishing Walk’s political ties. “Mr. Walk, were you involved in the development of Project 2025?” he asked. “Yes, I was a volunteer,” Walk answered.
Walkinshaw then worked through Walk’s résumé in rapid succession, asking whether he’d ever served as an auditor or worked in any inspector general’s office before his nomination. “No, I did not,” Walk said.
Walkinshaw contrasted that with Walk’s predecessor, Phyllis Fong, who he said had “22 years of experience” and “bipartisan credibility” before Trump fired her. “He doesn’t want independent IGs with experience,” Walkinshaw said. “He wants you — no IG experience, no audit experience, a political actor and a political appointee.”
From there, Walkinshaw pulled out a photo to make his point about real fraud.
“This is John Cafaro,” he said, referring to a contractor he described as a longtime Republican donor.
“He pled guilty to bribery and campaign finance violations” and received “a $1.7 million no-bid contract to filter the water at the reflecting pool,” Walkinshaw said.
He didn’t hold back on the punchline. “His company’s name is Green Water Services,” Walkinshaw said. “President promised us beautiful blue water. Gave a contract to this crook who gave us green water, algae, and dying ducks.”
Walkinshaw closed by tying it back to the hearing’s stated purpose. “The president and this Congress… have literally taken food from the mouths of hungry children,” he said, “and they’re putting it in the pockets of crooks like this. If that’s not fraudulent, Mr. Chairman, I don’t know what is.”
Watch the full video here.
