A top Senate Republican has written to President Donald Trump, demanding an immediate explanation as to why the President fired over 17 independent inspectors from various government agencies without notifying Congress.
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, who also serves as the president pro tempore of the Senate and chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, has written a letter alongside Democratic Senator Richard Durbin in which the two demand an explanation for Trump's sudden firing of over a dozen inspectors.
"This is a matter of public and congressional accountability and ensuring the public's confidence in the Inspector General community, a sentiment shared more broadly by other members of Congress," they wrote in their letter.
"IGs are critical to rooting out waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct within the Executive Branch bureaucracy, which you have publicly made clear you are also intent on doing."
The inspectors were fired by the Trump administration beginning Friday night, with the dismissals taking immediate effect, reported PBS News. The administration is legally required to provide Congress with 30-day notice as well as reasons for removal pertaining to each individual case before terminating inspectors, something the Trump administration did not do.
Inspector Generals are expected to be non-partisan despite being presidential appointees. Many have served multiple presidents.
"There may be good reason the IGs were fired. We need to know that if so," Sen. Chuck Grassley, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a statement. "I'd like further explanation from President Trump. Regardless, the 30-day detailed notice of removal that the law demands was not provided to Congress," he continued.
Other Republicans have brushed off the Trump administration's unorthodox way of doing things.
"Just tell them you need to follow the law next time," said Senator Lindsey Graham upon hearing of the statutes Trump violated.
In contrast, Democratic lawmakers are deeply unsettled by this latest Trump move.
"Yesterday, in the dark of night, President Trump fired at least 12 independent inspector generals at important federal agencies across the administration," Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Saturday. "This is a chilling purge and it's a preview of the lawless approach Donald Trump and his administration are taking far too often as he's becoming president."
Originally published by Latin Times.
