Probe of visa program threatens to sidetrack DHS nomination The investigation also poses difficulties for the Virginia gubernatorial campaign of Democrat Terry McAuliffe, who co-founded an electric car firm tied to a company involved in the probe. His opponent, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R), attacked McAuliffe on Tuesday for his ties to the case. Mayorkas was expected to take over running the DHS in an acting capacity after Secretary Janet Napolitano leaves her post in coming weeks. His Senate confirmation hearing was scheduled for Thursday under an expedited approval process requested by the White House. But on Tuesday, Sen. Tom Coburn (Okla.), the ranking Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, asked that the nomination be put on hold until the inspector general's inquiry is completed, according to a Coburn aide. Chairman Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.) has not made a decision on whether to delay the hearing, aides said. Details of the investigation, first reported by the Associated Press, remained murky Tuesday, but the probe centers on the EB-5 visa program, which permits foreign nationals to enter the United States if they agree to invest $500,000 to $1 million to create U.S. jobs. Inspector General Charles K. Edwards launched the inquiry last year following a tip from an FBI counterintelligence analyst concerned about the program, which is dominated by applicants from China, according to news media reports. Mayorkas's assistance was sought in January by Anthony Rodham, who runs Gulf Coast Funds Management in McLean and is the brother of former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton, according to e-mails posted on Watchdog.org, a conservative Web site. The company pools investments from foreign citizens wanting to invest in U.S. businesses as part of the EB-5 program. Rodham and other Gulf Coast officials wrote to Mayorkas and others at the DHS asking for help with delays that they said were harming GreenTech Automotive, a firm co-founded by McAuliffe. The former Democratic National Committee chairman is a longtime friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton. McAuliffe quietly stepped down as chairman of GreenTech on Dec. 1. He reported on a financial disclosure form filed last year that he owned more than $250,000 worth of GreenTech stock. Cuccinelli said in a statement that many questions "remain unanswered" about the business practices of GreenTech and McAuliffe because of the Democrat's unwillingness to discuss the issue. "I think it's time for Terry McAuliffe to come forward and answer questions about this serious matter," Cuccinelli said. Virginians deserve to know the truth about McAuliffe and GreenTech's potentially inappropriate solicitation of EB-5 visas.