President Donald Trump late Friday fired multiple inspectors general for federal agencies.
At least a dozen were removed, including the IGs for the departments of Defense, State, and Energy, according to the Washington Post, which first reported the news. The New York Times and Reuters reported that the number could be up to 17.
Federal law requires Congress to be notified 30 days before an IG is dismissed. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said that did not happen.
“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,” he said in a statement to Government Executive.
Grassley in November told Politico that Trump should not pursue a mass firing of IGs.
“I guess it’s the case of whether he believes in congressional oversight, because I work closely with all the inspector generals and I think I’ve got a good reputation for defending them,” Grassley said. “And I intend to defend them.”
In a letter obtained by Politico, Hannibal “Mike” Ware, the chairperson of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, informed the White House on Friday that he does not believe the removals of him and others are legal because of the ignored notice period.
“I recommend that you reach out to White House Counsel to discuss your intended course of action. At this point, we do not believe the actions taken are legally sufficient to dismiss Presidentially Appointed, Senate Confirmed Inspectors General,” Ware wrote.
He is the IG for the Small Business Administration and acting IG for the Social Security Administration.
In 2020, the last year of Trump’s first term, the president fired five IGs over a span of six weeks.
“Trump’s Friday night coup to overthrow legally protected independent inspectors general is an attack on transparency and accountability, essential ingredients in our democratic form of government,” House Oversight and Government Reform Committee ranking member Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, D-Va., said in a statement. “Replacing independent inspectors general with political hacks will harm every American who relies on social security, veterans benefits and a fair hearing at IRS on refunds and audits.”
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the chairman of that committee, said at a Dec. 10 hearing that he was trying to work with the new administration to identify poor-performing IGs.
“This committee has jurisdiction over the inspector general. I have found there are good inspector generals, there are average IGs and there are poor IGs,” Comer said. “We’re trying to work with the new administration on identifying which is which, so we need the IGs to work with us because finally this town is fixing to get serious about being more efficient.”
Comer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Before Friday’s mass firing, there were 15 IG vacancies, including those of the intelligence community and CIA, who left their positions just before the start of Trump’s second term.
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