By Sarah N. Lynch and David Ljunggren
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Several key U.S. Senate Republicans defended President Donald Trump’s decision on Sunday to fire independent government watchdogs at at least 17 federal agencies, even though the move ran afoul of federal law.
“The Supreme Court has said time and again that Congress cannot impose limits on the president’s power to remove officials,” Republican Sen. Tom told “Fox News Sunday.”
“Ultimately, these inspectors general serve at the pleasure of the president. He wants new people in there. He wants new people focused on eliminating waste, fraud and abuse and reforming these agencies. He has the right to put in who he wants.”
Chief Inspectors are independent watchdogs tasked with rooting out waste, fraud and abuse. They are nonpartisan and typically serve in multiple presidential administrations, regardless of which party controls the White House.
Inspectors general were abruptly fired Friday night from agencies such as the Defense Department and the State Department, despite a legal requirement that the president give Congress 30 days notice and provide a detailed explanation for their removal.
Their removal has sparked alarm among Democrats and others in the inspector general community, over concerns that Trump might try to replace them with loyalists.
“Congress specifically established the authority and structure of IGs to protect their vital oversight role by mandating independence under the IG Act,” said Hannibal Ware, inspector general of the Small Business Administration who chairs the independent body that oversees the government’s inspectors general. in a statement on Saturday.
“Unlawful removals are a significant threat to the real and perceived independence of IGs,” he added.
With Republicans now in control of both the House and Senate, it may be difficult to convince Trump to reverse his decision to fire them unless he faces pressure to do so from within his own party.
Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham acknowledged that Trump had to notify Congress and explain his decision to fire inspectors general.
But ultimately, he said, the president is within his rights.
“He won the election. What do you expect him to do — to just leave everything in place in Washington before he gets elected?” Graham said.
“These watchdogs have done a pretty bad job. He wants to get a look at Washington.”
