Sen. John Kennedy on Thursday grilled Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chair Martin Gruenberg for a report that detailed rampant sexual misconduct and discrimination at the agency, and asked him several unusual questions.
“Mr. Gruenberg, have you ever heard the expression, ‘A fish rots from the head down?’” the Louisiana Republican asked during a Senate Banking Committee hearing.
“Yes, senator,” Gruenberg said.
“I listened carefully to your testimony. Do I understand you to assert that you believe you're the person to clean up the FDIC?” Kennedy asked.
“I do, senator,” Gruenberg replied.
“Do you also believe that Elvis is alive?” Kennedy asked.
“Not to my knowledge, senator,” Gruenberg said.“Do you also believe in Bigfoot?” Kennedy asked.
“No, sir,” Gruenberg said.
Gruenberg has faced increasing scrutiny following a report, released last week by a law firm, that found that the FDIC’s “patriarchal” culture resulted in the underreporting of misconduct, as well as accounts of Gruenberg losing his temper on employees.
The report found that senior officials for years sexually harassed, discriminated against, and abused mostly women and minority employees.
