Senate Republicans Defend Trump’s Firing of Inspectors General

Several prominent U.S. Senate Republicans supported President Donald Trump’s decision to fire independent government watchdogs from at least 17 federal agencies, despite the move conflicting with federal law.
Republican Senator Tom Cotton stated, "Time and time again, the Supreme Court has said that Congress can't impose restrictions on the president's power to remove officers. Ultimately, these inspectors general serve at the pleasure of the president. He wants new people in there. He wants new people focused on getting out waste and fraud and abuse and reforming these agencies. He has a right to get in there who he wants."
Inspectors general are nonpartisan officials responsible for identifying waste, fraud, and abuse in government agencies. They typically serve across multiple presidential administrations. However, the inspectors general were abruptly fired, including those from the Department of Defense and the Department of State. This action bypassed the legal requirement for the president to notify Congress 30 days in advance and provide a detailed explanation.
Concerns were raised about Trump replacing these watchdogs with loyalists. Hannibal Ware, the Small Business Administration’s inspector general, warned that "Removals inconsistent with the law are a significant threat to the actual and perceived independence of IGs."
Despite Democratic concerns, Republican control of both the House and Senate makes it unlikely Trump will face significant opposition. Senator Lindsey Graham, speaking on CNN, acknowledged the president's failure to notify Congress but defended the decision, saying, "He won the election. What do you expect him to do - just leave everybody in place in Washington before he got elected? These watchdog folks did a pretty lousy job. He wants some new eyes on Washington."
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