The president fired State Department Inspector General Steve Linick, prompting Republican Utah Senator Mitt Romney to describe the move as a 'threat to accountable democracy.'
Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins concurred with the criticism of the two Democratic lawmakers in a tweet Saturday:"I have long been a strong advocate for the Inspectors General. They are vital partners in Congress's effort to identify inefficient or ineffective government programs and to root out fraud and other wrongdoing."
I have long been a strong advocate for the Inspectors General. They are vital partners in Congressâs effort to identify inefficient or ineffective government programs and to root out fraud and other wrongdoing.Inspectors general have long existed in the U.S. military, but Congress officially created the IG position in 1978 following Watergate and Nixon's resignation.
Several bipartisan lawmakers accused Trump of retaliating against anyone who criticizes the actions of his administration, particularly whistleblowers involved in the impeachment hearings including Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman and former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch. A bipartisan group of senators criticized President Donald Trump this weekend after he fired a fourth Inspector General on a Friday night in less than two months, roiling his critics who say he's systematically removing government watchdogs.
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