Top U.S. watchdog vows 'aggressive' oversight of Trump administration after intel firing

[yortsed snacilbuper]

The top U.S. federal watchdog vowed on Saturday to continue to conduct "aggressive" independent oversight of government agencies, after President Donald Trump fired the inspector general of the U.S. intelligence community late Friday night.

Michael Horowitz, chair of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), an independent agency in the executive branch and the inspector general at the Department of Justice, said in a statement that Michael Atkinson was known for his "integrity, professionalism, and commitment to the rule of law and independent oversight."

President Donald Trump wrote in a letter to Congress Friday night that Atkinson, who was involved in triggering an impeachment probe of the president last year, will be removed from his position in 30 days.

The firing comes as U.S. inspectors general, who are charged with independent oversight of federal agencies, were recently tasked with broad surveillance of the government's response to the coronavirus, including the historic $2.3 trillion fiscal package to mitigate its economic impact.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/top-us-watchdog-vows-aggressive-oversight-of-trump-administration-after-intel-firing/ar-BB12acw2?ocid=msn360

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. WH is trying to kill me, and you...Putin is working with rump to kill us.

[UTUSN]

2. He's *NEXT*!1 So much for his doing oversight since he'll soon be GONE!1

Last edited Sat Apr 4, 2020, 07:18 PM - Edit history (3)

Here's another account with a sharp edge on it:

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https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/michael-horowitz-doj-inspector-general-slams-trump-for-firing-intelligence-community-inspector-general/

‘Remarkable’: DOJ Inspector General Slams Trump For Firing Intelligence Community Inspector General

Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz issued an unqualified rebuke of his boss, President Donald Trump, in an official statement released early Saturday morning.

Horowitz’s missive, put out on official U.S. government stationary, is an unprecedented defense of his recently-fired colleague, now-former intelligence community inspector general Michael Atkinson, who oversaw the whistleblower complaint that eventually led to the the 45th president’s historic impeachment late last year. ….

At least some of that criticism was clearly shared by the lead inspector general within the president’s own administration.

Horowitz’s statement went on to declare his intent to keenly oversee the huge tranche of funds approved by Congress and the White House in response to the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic:

The Inspector General Community will continues to conduct aggressive, independent oversight of the agencies that we oversee. This includes [the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency‘s] Pandemic Response Accountability Committee and its efforts on behalf of American taxpayers, families, businesses, patients, and health care providers to ensure that over $2 trillion dollars in emergency federal spending is being used consistently with the law’s mandate.

The DOJ inspector general is also the chair of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, an independent entity within the executive branch whose mission is defined by federal statute as working to “address integrity, economy, and effectiveness issues that transcend individual Government agencies; and [to] increase the professionalism and effectiveness of personnel by developing policies, standards, and approaches to aid in the establishment of a well-trained and highly skilled workforce in the offices of the Inspectors General.” ….

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