President Trump on defended his removal of a slew of at least 15 inspectors general Friday as lawmakers in both parties raised concerns about the late-night purge and questioned a decision that appeared to violate federal law. “It’s a very common thing to do,” Trump claimed to reporters on Air Force One traveling to Florida..
“I don’t know them,” he said, even though many of those he fired were people he appointed during his first term. “But some people thought that some were unfair or some were not doing their job. It’s a very standard thing to do.” The White House removed the independent inspectors general of nearly every Cabinet-level agency in an unprecedented purge that could clear the way for Trump to install loyalists in the crucial role of identifying fraud, waste and abuse, reports the Washington Post.
The inspectors general were notified Friday by emails from White House personnel director Sergio Gor that “due to changing priorities” they had been terminated immediately The watchdogs at Homeland Security and Justice were the only Cabinet-level inspectors general spared. The law requires Congress to receive 30 days’ notice of any intent to fire a Senate-confirmed inspector general. Several watchdogs who were told they were fired planned to show up in their offices to work anyway. The removals were among first-week actions that have shown Trump’s willingness to purge the government of leaders — both career and politically appointed officials — he views as disloyal to his agenda. “It’s a widespread massacre,” one of the fired watchdogs said. “Whoever Trump puts in now will be viewed as loyalists, and that undermines the entire system.”
Comentarios