Federal watchdogs Trump fired sue for reinstatement
By: Bart Jensen
and Donovan Slack
USA Today
WASHINGTON - A group of inspectors general fired by President Donald Trump last month [01/24/2025] are suing to be reinstated, asserting he violated federal law by terminating them without notification congress and outlining reasons for their ouster.
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The former government watchdogs at the Pentagon and department of Health and Human Services, Agriculture, State, Education, Labor and Veterans Affairs filed the lawsuit Wednesday. [02/12/2025] The action came less than three weeks after the officials received emails notifying them of their firings on January 24. [2025]
..... "The firing of the independent nonpartisan inspectors general was a clear violation of the law," Michael Missal, former inspector general at the VA. "The IG's are bringing this action for reinstatement so that they can go back to work fighting fraud, waste and abuse on behalf of the American public."
..... Tuesday [02/11/2025] night, the White House fired the inspector general at the U.S. Agency for International Development, according to a source briefed on the termination. The firing cams a day after Paul K. Martin issued a scattering report saying staff cuts and funding pauses at the agency put more than $489 million in food assistance around the world at risk of spoiling.
..... A president can fire inspectors general, but Congress requires 30 days notice and an explanation for removing an inspector general.
..... The top members of the Senate, Judiciary Committee wrote to Trump asking for an explanation about the ousters.
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"While IGs aren't immune from committing acts requiring their removal, and they can be removed by the president, the law must be followed, Senators Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, wrote to Trump, asking for his justifications. "IGs are critical to rooting out waste, fraud, abuse and misconduct within the executive branch bureaucracy, which you have publicly made clear you are also intent on doing."
..... The inspectors general are independent watchdogs within agencies who investigate and disclose waste, fraud and abuse. Missal, who had been inspector general since 2016 at Veterans Affairs, was one of 17 fired without notice. The inspector general lawsuit comes at a time when the Trump administration is embroiled digitalization about proposed ousters and resignations. Trump and his aides have argued that as the head of the executive branch, he can remove anyone he wants. But several of the changes sparked lawsuits.
..... The Justice Department and FBI told top officials who investigated Trump and the Capitol attach on January 6, 2021, to resign or be fired.
..... Trump tried to fire the head of the Federal Election Commission, but she refused to leave. Trump tired to fire the head of the Office of Government Ethics, but a federal judge temporarily reinstated Hampton Dellinger, who argued he was removed unlawfully, while the case is litigated.