The Trump administration terminated at least a dozen federal watchdogs late Friday evening, a potentially unlawful action that could be challenged in court.
On Saturday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer characterized the watchdog firings as a “chilling purge” while speaking from the Senate floor.
Schumer, a New York Democrat, remarked, “These terminations reflect Donald Trump’s fear of accountability and his resistance to transparency and factual information.”
The White House did not respond to the BBC‘s request for comment, and the firings have not been confirmed.
On Friday night, the director of presidential personnel notified the impacted inspector general via email that their inspector general positions were terminated immediately because of changing priorities. CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, reported this information.
According to CBS, the inspector general of the Small Business Administration and the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services are among the watchdogs who have been dismissed.
The New York Times highlighted several lists of dismissed watchdogs circulating. Reports indicate that the Environmental Protection Agency, along with the departments of Agriculture, commerce, defence, education, housing and Urban Development, interior, labour, transportation, and Veterans Affairs, were all being considered for this action.
The potential candidates for the open positions in the Trump administration are still unclear.
Congress established inspectors general after the Watergate controversy as part of a series of reforms designed to reduce corruption, waste, and fraud. The independent watchdogs, who are not under the control of the chief of federal agencies, are intended to protect against the abuse of power and mismanagement.
Although they are presidential appointees, they are anticipated to maintain a nonpartisan stance.
The dismissals could breach a law requiring the White House to notify Congress 30 days in advance and provide specific details before removing a federal inspector general.
Hannibal Ware, the inspector general of the Small Business Administration and the head of a council of the watchdog across agencies, sent a letter to Sergio Gor, the director of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, implying that the dismissals were invalid.
“I recommend that you reach out to White House your intended course of action,” Ware communicated. “At this point, we do not believe the actions taken are legally sufficient to dismiss presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed inspectors general.”
Ware published a separate statement on Saturday afternoon stating that the independence of inspectors general was at risk due to dismissals that were “inconsistent with the law.”
“IGs [inspectors general] are not immune from removal,” he indicated. “However, the law must be followed to protect independent government oversight for America.”
The president’s action was promptly criticized by Democrats.
Schumer stated that the action was a “preview of the lawless approach” that Trump and his administration adopted.
Gerry Connolly, a Virginia Democrat and ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, described the firings as a “Friday night coup” and an “attack on transparency and accountability.”
He and 20 other Democratic members of Congress wrote a letter to President Trump in which they explicitly expressed “grave concern” about the dismissals and urged him to reconsider.
The representatives, which included Jamie Raskin of Maryland, Zoe Lofgren of California, and Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, wrote, “Your actions violate the law, attack our democracy, and undermine the safety of the American people.”
Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Senator Susan Collins of Maine, both Republican lawmakers, also conveyed apprehension regarding the purge.
Collins stated at the Capitol on Saturday, “I am perplexed as to why one would terminate personnel whose responsibility is to identify and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse.” “I don’t understand it.”
