The Trump administration has dismissed over a dozen independent inspectors general from various government agencies without the required 30-day notice to Congress. This move has drawn criticism from lawmakers who allege it violates federal oversight laws and undermines transparency and accountability within the government.
The Trump administration has taken decisive action, dismissing more than a dozen independent inspectors general across various government agencies. This sweeping move, executed without the customary 30-day notice to Congress, has raised concerns among lawmakers regarding potential violations of federal oversight laws . The dismissals, which took effect immediately on Friday night, were confirmed by a source familiar with the situation, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Senator Chuck Grassley, the Republican chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, expressed his reservations, stating, “There may be good reason the IGs were fired. We need to know that if so. I’d like further explanation from President Trump. Regardless, the 30-day detailed notice of removal that the law demands was not provided to Congress.”President Donald Trump was in Las Vegas on Saturday for a speech, while the White House press office remained unresponsive to requests for comment. The role of the modern-day inspector general, established in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, is to serve as an independent check against mismanagement and abuse of power within government agencies. Inspector generals, though presidential appointees, are expected to be nonpartisan and operate with integrity. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer condemned the dismissals, characterizing them as a “chilling purge” indicative of a “lawless approach” by the Trump administration. He suggested that the firings might constitute a violation of federal law and serve as a “glaring sign that it’s a golden age for abuse in government and even corruption.”The Washington Post, the first to report the dismissals, noted that most of those affected were appointees from Trump’s first term. Among the notable exceptions was Michael Horowitz, the long-serving Justice Department inspector general known for his politically charged reports on criminal investigations. However, the dismissals have drawn heavy criticism from Democrats. Representative Gerald Connolly of Virginia, the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, labeled the firings a “coup to overthrow legally protected independent inspectors general,” arguing that they represent an “attack on transparency and accountability” essential to a functioning democracy. He further expressed concern that the move could pave the way for replacing independent watchdogs with loyalists who would be more sympathetic to the Trump administration’s agenda.Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts also condemned the firings, tweeting, “President Trump is dismantling checks on his power and paving the way for widespread corruption.”Trump has made no secret of his disdain for independent agency watchdog groups. In 2020 alone, he replaced several key inspectors general, including those overseeing the Defense Department, the intelligence community, and a special oversight board tasked with monitoring the $2.2 trillion economic relief package enacted in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
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