In a sweeping late-night move, President Donald Trump of United States dismissed 17 inspectors general on Friday, the federal watchdogs responsible for overseeing government agencies, according to three individuals familiar with the matter.
This latest development follows a week of significant changes within federal operations, seemingly centered on bolstering loyalty to the president.
The purge reportedly spared Michael E. Horowitz, the Justice Department’s inspector general, one of the sources confirmed. However, inspectors general at several other key agencies were said to have been removed from their posts.
The Washington Post was the first to report the firings. A White House representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to those involved in Trump’s transition, such a shake-up had been anticipated. The move aligns with actions taken by Trump in early 2020 when he dismissed five inspectors general, including Michael Atkinson, the intelligence community inspector general. Atkinson had handled the whistle-blower complaint that precipitated Trump’s first impeachment in the House of Representatives.
Democrats have condemned these dismissals, accusing the former president of attempting to dismantle independent oversight.
Mr. Horowitz gained prominence in late 2019 for a report to the Justice Department on the FBI’s “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation into potential ties between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. While the report validated the investigation’s basis, Horowitz criticized aspects of the FBI’s surveillance application for Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.
He also censured then-FBI Director James B. Comey for violating departmental policies by creating secret memos about his interactions with Trump, which were later leaked. The Justice Department declined to prosecute Comey, a decision that reportedly infuriated Trump.
This shake-up marks yet another chapter in Trump’s tumultuous relationship with the oversight mechanisms of federal agencies.
(NEW YORK TIMES)
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