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Let It Burn!
Donald Trump just "technically" violated the law—Lindsey Graham
The GOP senator said Trump "technically" broke the law by firing several inspectors general, but "has the authority to do it."
www.newsweek.com
Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, told NBC News' Kristen Welker on Sunday morning that President Donald Trump "technically" violated the law in his firing of over a dozen inspectors general on Friday.
Newsweek has reached out to the White House and Graham's office via email for comment on Sunday.
Why It Matters
Trump's hasty firing of the inspectors general received significant backlash from his critics with fears he is trying to replace those independent watchdogs with loyalists.However, even if the president violated the law, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity last year gives presidents wide latitude to bend the rules or even break the law without repercussions.
What To Know
A source familiar with the situation confirmed to Newsweek on Saturday that some inspectors general have been fired.Inspectors general are independent officials within federal agencies who investigate claims of waste, fraud and abuse of power. They conduct audits, evaluations, and special reviews, among other responsibilities.
According to Reuters, 17 inspectors general at various agencies—including the State, Defense and Transportation departments—received emails from the White House on Friday informing them that their posts had been terminated immediately.
Hannibal "Mike" Ware, who leads the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), said 18 independent watchdogs were fired, according to NBC News, which reported that Ware was among those fired.
Most of the dismissals were officials who had been appointed during Trump's first presidential term, The Washington Post reported. Michael Horowitz, the inspector general at the Department of Justice, was reportedly spared.
Federal law requires presidents to give Congress "substantive rationale, including detailed and case specific reasons" for the dismissals 30 days before the firings, the CIGIE said in a letter to White House personnel director Sergio Gor on Friday, per Reuters.
Trump told reporters that the move to fire these inspectors general is "a very common thing to do."
The firings are similar to what he did in 2020 when he dismissed five inspectors general from their roles.
