Springtime Sacking of US Inspectors General
The Offices of Inspector General of the United States were created beginning in 1976, expanded in 1978 by PL 95-452 and further strengthened in 2008.
Their roles are to investigate, conduct and supervise audits and investigations of the agency under their purview and report to the head of the agency and to Congress on their findings. “(2) to provide leadership and coordination and recommend policies for activities designed (A) to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the administration of, and (B) to prevent and detect fraud and abuse in, such programs and operations; and (3) to provide a means for keeping the head of the establishment and the Congress fully and currently informed about problems and deficiencies relating to the administration of such programs and operations and the necessity for and progress of corrective action”. Section 2
The position is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate “without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of integrity and demonstrated ability in accounting, auditing, financial analysis, law, management analysis, public administration or investigations”. Neither the head of the agency nor its deputy can prevent or prohibit the IG from initiating, carrying out or completing any audit or investigation. The President can remove the IG but must communicate in writing the good cause reasons for the removal to both Houses of Congress 30 days prior to actual removal. Section 3
The IG must report immediately to the agency head whenever it becomes aware of particularly serious or flagrant problems. These problems must be communicated to Congress within seven days. Section 5
The IG may receive and investigate complaints from any agency employee about violations of law, mismanagement, abuse of authority or a substantial threat to public health or safety. The identity of that “whistle blower” may not be disclosed. No person of authority to take personnel actions may take any action of reprisal against the person making the complaint. Section 7
The President is sidelining and silencing by any means possible the federal IG’s who serve as the eyes, ears and voice of high integrity for the Administration, for Congress and for the American people.
Over the weekend, President Trump removed Steve Linick, the IG of the State Department, who was investigating claims of illegal arms sales to Saudi Arabia at Congressional request and of Secretary Pompeo’s use of Department of State staff to walk his dog, pick up his dry cleaning and other errands of a personal nature based on a staff complaint. Apparently, Sec’y Pompeo asked the White House to fire the IG. https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/18/politics/state-department-inspector-general-investigating-pompeo-saudi-arms-deal/index.html
In early April of this year, President Trump removed Glenn Fine from his position overseeing the CARES Act funding of over 2 trillion. Fine was the acting IG of the Defense Department and had been selected by a committee of his peer IG’s to lead the oversight of the implementation of the CARES Act. The President appointed a new acting IG for Defense, Sean O’Donnell, who was serving as IG for the EPA. Fine continues to serve as Deputy IG for the Defense Dept. https://federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-oversight/2020/04/trumps-watchdog-shakeup-underscores-legal-limits-for-ig-independence/
In early May of this year, President Trump removed Kristi Grimm who was the acting IG at HHS after she issued a report on the severe shortages of PPE and other hospital equipment needed by hospital personnel to treat Covid 19 patients. She has returned to her post as principal Deputy IG. https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/02/politics/hhs-inspector-general-trump-nominee-jason-weida/index.html
In April of this year, President Trump removed Michael Atkinson, the IG for the Intelligence Community. https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/03/politics/trump-fires-inspector-general-michael-atkinson/index.html As required by the IG statute, Atkinson had disclosed the whistle blower’s complaint about the President’s call with the President of the Ukraine, asking him to investigate and tarnish ex-Vice President and potential Democratic Party Presidential nominee Joe Biden.
The President is going to continue to sideline any IG who does not parrot the Administration line for all of us to swallow hook, line and sinker, unless and until Congressional Republicans start to stand up for the independence, integrity and truth telling of the IG’s role. Senator Mitt Romney has done so. https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/498165-romney-denounces-multiple-ig-firings-threat-to-accountable-democracy Senator Grassley has spoken out on two of these firings, explaining that a high bar must be surmounted to fire an IG -- clear evidence of unfitness, wrongdoing, or failure to perform the duties of the office. https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/498337-grassley-demands-trump-explain-firing-of-state-department-inspector-general The House and Senate GOP leadership have been mostly mute in the face of the President’s efforts to silence all criticism and blindfold all oversight of his Administration’s conduct of the most vital affairs of the American people.