Dismissing the Generals

The Nixon administration was a carnival of corruption, but politicians of the day weren’t the demagogues and ideologues of today. Granted, they weren’t MUCH better, but they were at least able to look at the rubble left by Tricky Dick and craft policy attempting to prevent it from happening again. Their solution? They created the office of Inspector General (IG) as referees in the Executive Branch. These Inspectors were the ‘go to’ folks for any of the thousands of Executive Branch employees if they had allegations of waste, fraud, abuse, or corruption. The Inspectors would review the issue, decide if it had merit, and forward it to Congress if they found substance. As a recent example, in the Ukraine scandal it was Inspector General for the Intelligence Community Michael Atkinson who received the anonymous report, checked it out, and forwarded it to Congress for action.

But there was a flaw in Congress’ IG law… the Inspectors serve at the pleasure of the president. Congress had assumed that the firestorm if a president dismissed an Inspector improperly or without explanation would be enough to keep them honest. Integrity, and shame at being exposed as a crook, were the bastions of the law. They didn’t reckon with Donald Trump.

Trump has been on a rampage of Inspector General firings. He started with Atkinson, but in the last 6 weeks (as of this writing) he’s fired 4. The stated reason has been they “don’t have the confidence of the president” but no explanation of why they lost that confidence has been forthcoming. Congressional Democrats are whining ineffectually; Congressional Republicans are cowering and enabling. But the IG Purge is continuing, and in a media world dominated by Covid it’s going largely unnoticed.

If you’re not Furious enough from everything else going on today, then here’s your fix. Settle back, get a pillow to scream into, and learn all about Trump’s IG purge…

Purged watchdog who found ‘severe’ medical supply shortages persists with 14 ongoing investigations, Kerry Eleveld on Daily Kos, May 2020

The White House thumbs its nose at GOP critics of inspectors general purge, Aaron Blake in The Washington Post, May 2020

Top Republican unsatisfied with White House justification for inspector general firings and replacements, Kathryn Watson on 60 Minutes, May 2020

Trump appears emboldened by paltry GOP pushback to IG purges, James Hohmann in Washington Post, May 2020

Pentagon’s deputy inspector general resigns; latest in watchdog role to depart, Idrees Ali on Reuters, May 2020

‘Serial IG Purges’ by Trump Fuel Dems’ Call for Anti-Corruption Provisions in Next Covid Package, Andrea Germanos on Common Dreams, May 2020

What are inspectors general and why do they matter? Rohn Robbins in VailDaily, May 2020

What Role Are Inspectors General Supposed To Play In America’s Democracy? Brian Naylor on All Things Considered, Oct 2019

Trump’s IG Purges Add Fuel to Oversight Controversies, Susan Crabtree on Real Clear Politics, Apr 2020

State Department watchdog critical of Trump moves fired, Deirdre Shesgreen in USA Today, May 2020

The $500 Billion In Corporate Aid Will Be A Corrupt Cash Grab If We Don’t Ask The Right Questions, Shivaram Rajgopal in Forbes, Mar 2020

Trump’s Firing of State Department Inspector General Is Just the Latest in a Rolling Purge, John Walcott in Time, May 2020