BREAKING: Democrats are demanding that the White House hand over records related to President Trump's firing of a federal watchdog, this time at the State Dept. They suggest Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was involved, as part of an 'act of retaliation.”
FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2019, file photo State Department Inspector General Steve Linick leaves a meeting in a secure area at the Capitol in Washington. A senior department official said President Donald Trump removed Linick from his job as State Department’s inspector general on Friday, May 15, 2020, but gave no reason for his ouster.
Trump announced late Friday that he was firing the inspector general, Steve Linick, an Obama administration appointee whose office was critical of what it saw as political bias in the State Department’s management. The ouster was one more move by the president against independent executive branch watchdogs who have found fault with his administration.
Democrats soon cried foul. Engel suggested Linick was fired in part in retaliation for opening an unspecified investigation into Pompeo. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Linick was “punished for honorably performing his duty to protect the Constitution and our national security.” She said Trump ”must cease his pattern of reprisal and retaliation against the public servants who are working to keep Americans safe, particularly during this time of global emergency.”
Linick will replaced by Stephen Akard, a former career foreign service officer who has close ties to Vice President Mike Pence, said the official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Akard currently runs the department’s Office of Foreign Missions. He had been nominated to be the director general of the foreign service but withdrew after objections he wasn’t experienced enough.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trump fires State Dept. watchdog critical of admin movesPresident Donald Trump has fired the State Department's inspector general, an Obama administration appointee whose office was critical of alleged political bias in the agency's management
Read more »
Opinion | If Democrats want to beat Trump, they should take money from everyone — even Louis C.K.Opinion: 'If Democrats want to beat Trump, they should take money from everyone — even Louis C.K.' writes Carly Reilly for PostOpinions
Read more »
State Department watchdog critical of Trump moves firedA State Department official declined to say why Linick was fired. But he documented alleged political retaliation within the State Department and he was tangentially involved in the impeachment battle over President Donald Trump's dealings with Ukraine.
Read more »
Trump fires State Department watchdogJUST IN: President Trump has informed Congress of his intention to remove State Dept. Inspector General Steve Linick, writing he 'no longer' has full confidence in him.
Read more »