Trump to Fire Intelligence Watchdog Who Had Key Role in Ukraine Complaint

[Marcuse]

Source: NY Times

WASHINGTON — President Trump is firing the intelligence community inspector general whose insistence on telling lawmakers about a whistle-blower complaint about his dealings with Ukraine triggered impeachment proceedings last fall, the president told lawmakers in a letter late on Friday.

Mr. Trump is ousting the inspector general, Michael Atkinson, because he lost confidence in him, the president wrote in a letter to leaders of the two congressional intelligence committees. He gave no further explanation.

“As is the case with regard to other positions where I, as president, have the power of appointment, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, it is vital that I have the fullest confidence in the appointees serving as inspectors general,” Mr. Trump wrote. “That is no longer the case with regard to this inspector general.”

Read more: Link to source

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[link:https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/03/us/inspector-general-intelligence-fired.html?referringSource=articleShare|

[LiberalFighter]

1. Should not be allowed to fire without cause.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

12. Whistleblowers are protected by law. But what does the tRump-Barr criminal gang care about laws?

[Under The Radar]

2. He is just now getting around to that? Man, he has been distracted

[grantcart]

3. He waited until Congress was back home

This us how dictatorships begin

[JudyM]

14. It's also a shot across the bow to public health officials who step too far away from his narrative.

It’s appalling how non-proactive they’re being when it’s their job to protect the public. The only excuse is if they’re concerned he’ll replace them with one of his know-nothing robots.

[BigmanPigman]

4. Why should the worst health and financial crisis

in our lifetime stop him from doing what he always does and lives for...REVENGE!

The fucking moron is a sadistic, narcissistic sociopath whose goal is to kill and bankrupt the liberals.

[mdbl]

13. not just liberals, anyone with integrity

All the positions of oversight are being replaced with stupid sycophants. couple that with a completely irresponsible senate majority leader and you have a government run by criminals.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

5. No good deed goes unpunished under Trump

[kimbutgar]

6. Little jerk got this guy fired and an empathetic captain on the navy ship

MF45 can’t even hold a candle to them. Little petty man needs his revenge.

The big payback can’t happen to him soon enough!

[notdarkyet]

25. Need to put him in. Stocks in front of the WH until the buzzards pick his body clean.

[cstanleytech]

7. Anyone want to clue in Trump that he can be criminally charged for any criminal actions he

committed while in office including those of retaliation against civil servants should it be a crime as defined under federal law?

[mdbl]

15. and i hope whomever gets into power after him doesn't forget that responsibility

to prosecute Trump for what he's done. Obama certainly did that with the Bush administration - my biggest disappointment in him.

[LudwigPastorius]

8. ...and, of course he won't name a replacement.

"I never liked dogs. Especially, watchdogs. All they do is eat and throw up on the carpet. That's why I like to say, 'he choked like a dog'. Man's Best Friend...I don't get it. I've already got the best friends. Some people are saying I'm the most loved president of all time. Did you see the crowd at my inauguration? Biggest crowd in history..."

[TomCADem]

9. Sort of Like How He Fired Pandemic Team

This the fault of Republicans with Mitch McConnell number 1 on the list.

[Ford_Prefect]

10. Well he is known as Donnie Smalls, and small is as small does...petty, vicious and mean.

[bucolic_frolic]

11. Dismantling the Rule of Law

Anyone or anything that looks cross-eyed at Trump is history

[Judi Lynn]

16. Trump fires watchdog who handled Ukraine complaint

President Donald Trump has fired Michael Atkinson, the inspector general for the intelligence community who handled the whistleblower complaint that triggered his impeachment
By
MARY CLARE JALONICK and DEB RIECHMANN Associated Press
April 4, 2020, 1:04 AM
5 min read

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Friday abruptly fired the inspector general of the intelligence community, sidelining an independent watchdog who played a pivotal role in his impeachment even as his White House struggled with the deepening coronavirus pandemic.

Trump informed the Senate intelligence committee late Friday of his decision to fire Michael Atkinson, according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press. Atkinson handled the whistleblower complaint that triggered Trump’s impeachment last year.

Atkinson's firing, which is part of a shakeup of the intelligence community under Trump, thrusts the president's impeachment back into the spotlight as his administration deals with the deadly spread of coronavirus. As Trump was removing Atkinson, the number of U.S. deaths due to the virus topped 7,000.

Trump said in the letter that it is “vital” that he has confidence in the appointees serving as inspectors general, and “that is no longer the case with regard to this inspector general.”

More:
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/trump-fires-watchdog-handled-ukraine-complaint-69972877

[Mc Mike]

17. 'I, as president, have the power'

He's so busy working on his priorities, that he doesn't have the time to work on fighting the pandemic.

[bluescribbler]

18. Saw this last night on Last Word with Ali Velcher

[Gothmog]

19. IG Atkinson is known throughout the Inspector General community for his integrity

Link to tweet

[marieo1]

20. beyond my understanding

Last edited Sat Apr 4, 2020, 01:35 PM - Edit history (1)

I don't understand why someone can't FiRE DJT!!! He is an incompetent nincompoop. Why isn't there any provision in our constitution to can someone as incapable as DJT is? He has put many lives in danger and even because of some of his stupidity, many, many have died!! Where is the law that disciplines the president? Rather than waiting for the election this fall, a lot can happen before then, many more people will have lost their lives and we will have lost many extremely fine competent people that are our national treasures because the 'stupid' president has fired them - this 'to me' is insane and treasonous.

[turbinetree]

21. Hey Trump here's some logic for you...................if you didn't do the crime you would never

had to go through this, but, you fucking did , and now that you have been IMPEACHED, and you basically did do the crime and the only reason why your still in that office is because of 52 fucking #Moscow Mitch republicans in the senate and 198 #Moscow Mitch republicans in the house, say everything about treason and how treason was enabled.
Does this "act" which it is a fucking "ACT" really massage your malignant, narcissistic, petty, spiteful, deceitful, vengeful, sexual predator, treasonous behavior, with full blown being a psychopathic shit sandwich of more of your deflection between your ears help your ego, because, you asshole, and your son n law, and the rapture asshole, and others have BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS that is correct, you have fucking BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS, and your other idols such as Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller, Betsy Devos, Ben Carson and your other fucking cronies who model the shit sandwich the country is going through, also HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS, who's main function is of keeping your fucking treason running until we the people remove you and them all of them from office this coming January 20, 2021..........we are coming asshole(s) and November 3, 2020 cannot get here fast enough, to start the process............

[NCjack]

22. The IGs serve at the pleasure of the president. That is the way it is.

When DEM becomes president, Day 1 task is to have already reviewed each IG and US Attorney and fire the ones that are not wanted. On Day 1.

Now that Trump has fired IG Atkinson and put him on leave, his desk and files are ready for a MAGAt to search them for the name of the whistle blower. I hope that person is in safe, foreign place.

[SpankMe]

23. A very important story that's getting buried in the Coronavirus news

More of the slow-moving Saturday night massacre.

[duforsure]

26. His arrogance and his level of crimes are growing fast, whats next?

He won't stop until he's removed.