Columbia Standard

U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Chuck Grassley have formally requested an explanation from President Donald Trump regarding his recent decision to dismiss Inspectors General (IGs) from 18 federal offices. The Senators are seeking the "lawfully-required substantive rationale" for these dismissals, as well as the names of officials who will temporarily fill these roles.

Inspectors General are tasked with identifying waste, fraud, and abuse within federal agencies. They serve at the discretion of the President, but a law authored by Senator Grassley mandates that the President must inform Congress in writing at least 30 days before removing or transferring an IG. This communication should include detailed reasons for such actions.

The Senators emphasized that while IGs can be removed if necessary, it is crucial to follow legal procedures. They stated, "The communication to Congress must contain more than just broad and vague statements; rather, it must include sufficient facts and details to assure Congress and the public that the termination is due to real concerns about the Inspector General’s ability to carry out their mission."

They further highlighted the importance of maintaining public confidence in the Inspector General community, which plays a critical role in addressing misconduct within the Executive Branch.

Durbin and Grassley urged President Trump to provide Congress with a written explanation detailing case-specific reasons for each IG's removal. They also called for quick nominations of qualified individuals to permanently fill these vacancies.