Chaos in Washington: The Purge of the Inspectors General
In a late-night email on January 25, President Trump unlawfully fired 17 independent Inspector Generals (IG) from agencies including the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, and State Department, with an additional firing of the US Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General (OIG) weeks later. The event was dubbed by the media as the “Midnight Purge.”
By law, Congress is required to receive a detailed written communication informing them of the President’s decision to dismiss 30 days before firing any watchdog IG. The requirement was passed with strong bipartisan support; Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) noted at the time, “When making the decision to remove an IG, Presidents must send substantive, specific reasons to Congress in advance, explaining the actions they’re taking and why they’re taking them.” Without this warning, these actions erode the necessary oversight that protects against fraud, waste, and abuse.
Government Accountability Project has publicly condemned the dismissal of these IGs as a “blatant assault on the guardrails of accountability within the executive branch” and a “chilling message to the civil service.” These independent federal agency watchdogs investigate whistleblower disclosures, prevent retaliation, and safeguard against wrongdoing. Not only do they deter corruption, but they also empower whistleblowers. Without them, the system will empower bad actors...
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