WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today demanded answers from Donald Trump after the President terminated of Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson.
“Inspectors general play a critical role in protecting against fraud, waste, abuse and misconduct, and their work helps ensure the government efficiently serves the people,” Senator Grassley said in a statement. “And they often serve as an outlet to whistleblowers who shine a light to problems in government. They help drain the swamp, so any removal demands an explanation. Congress has been crystal clear that written reasons must be given when IGs are removed for a lack of confidence. More details are needed from the administration.
“The intelligence community inspector general is particularly essential to ensuring the nation’s secrets are well protected and powerful, highly invasive surveillance authorities are not abused. Going forward the ICIG must step up its focus on investigating those abuses and preventing leaks of classified information.”
Michael K. Atkinson was sworn in as Inspector General of the Intelligence Community after the Senate confirmed his nomination in May of 2018. Atkinson is the second official to hold this position since its creation in 2010.
Atkinson moved from private law practice to public service following the September 11 attacks, and he brings professional shrewdness and dedication to an oversight mission that must operate with integrity, accountability, and objectivity.
Atkinson joins the IC from the Department of Justice’s leadership corps, where he served as an Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General of the National Security Division. Ten years earlier, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including as Deputy Chief of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section until 2015 and then the Section’s Acting Chief from 2015 until 2016.
Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Atkinson was a trial attorney in the Fraud Section of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice from 2002 to 2006.
Told you nothing would happen.
Now that Trump has fired another IG (not this one) and is telling people he is going to get rid of all of them, the Republicans who are true patriots are going to fight him tooth and nail. He wants to eliminate oversight to everything he does because he believes that as President, he has unlimited power. He is in for a hard fall.
Ya whats up with that Trump guy anyhow? Hes starting to act like a liberal teacher and its scary man.
No response to comment, just another personal attack. Typical trumpkin.
Nothing will happen.
Nice to see Chuck finally stepping up and doing his job. It’s about time.
Remember when Grassley was a honest honorable man. About 3 years ago.
All the time so l can stay alive
Sounds like you live in the ‘Projection Room’
Trump does what he wants to do without a care to what the law states and what his duties are. He does not have unlimited power and it is refreshing to see a Republican who isn’t afraid to stand up to him. Also interesting is that his usual yes men are pretty quiet about this probably because they know he is violating the law. The law requires 30 days notice to the congressional intelligence committees of such removal and Trump ignored that. The question is why now? Was Atkinson about to reveal something that Trump didn’t want revealed?
And another one jumps on the train…
https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/michael-horowitz-doj-inspector-general-slams-trump-for-firing-intelligence-community-inspector-general/?fbclid=IwAR3MJAPxZlzIdv3VLRJYBTEsyHtPsEKSWicXhztNQjPHvW1VA91l5vmZDto
Well Chuck, you GOP types “reap what you sow”. For over three years now you have let this evil and corrupt administration go unchecked. Now Americans are loosing their lives due to the chaotic handling of the federal pandemic response.
This is the year of the rat. And he’s a rat. As for bellyaching about fraud, waste, abuse, and misconduct that’s a joke. Politicians are guilty of all the above. Constantly. And the bankers are crooks. Term limits!
Will Grassley be the only Republican Senator to question this firing? Bet Joni doesn’t question it.
Oh I think Joni Ernst will question it too. Especially if Sen. Grassley tell her to do it.
Maybe Joni will tell us that she will award the president one of her “squeal” awards. Or, she might even tell us that she provided legislation to prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future.
She’s too dense to notice.
You still backing the losers?