John,
President Trump is launching an all-out attack on oversight and accountability. He’s attacking independent government watchdogs, steamrolling accountability measures and putting our democracy at risk—all while people are focused on the coronavirus pandemic.
Inspectors General are critical to uncovering waste, fraud and abuse in the government, so it may come as no surprise that Trump has left many IG posts vacant for years. But the problem has become even more acute now that trillions in taxpayer dollars are being spent on coronavirus relief. Five IG vacancies are particularly concerning, with the Treasury Department, Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense among the agencies with vacancies that also have crucial roles in combating coronavirus.
But neglect is not the only way President Trump is attacking oversight. Trump fired Michael Atkinson, the Intelligence Community IG who informed Congress of the Ukraine whistleblower complaint last year that led to Trump’s impeachment. There’s no question that firing him late on a Friday night amidst a global crisis was an effort to sweep this outrageous abuse under the rug.
After firing Atkinson, Trump unleashed a concerted effort to undermine the accountability measures the Congress had to negotiate for in the CARES Act. Shortly after Glenn Fine was chosen to serve as chair of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, Trump removed him from his post as Acting IG at DoD, making him ineligible to chair the committee, and announced his intention to nominate a loyalist to another IG position overseeing key parts of the coronavirus relief. It’s hard to interpret this as anything other than an attack on independent oversight.
At CREW, we’re doing everything we can to fight back against these attacks. We recently sent a letter to the Treasury and the Federal Reserve reminding them of their disclosure obligations under the CARES Act, and letting them know that they will face legal action if they fail to comply. I recently wrote an op-ed about how Congress must act to protect the independence of IGs—to prevent interference from Trump or future presidents. We’ve sent a FOIA request about whether the White House is seeking out or listening to recommendations from the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, which usually plays a key role in recommending IG candidates.
We expect that as the pandemic continues, Congress will likely pass future coronavirus relief bills, so we’re advocating for stronger oversight measures, including protecting IGs, in any such legislation. Stay tuned for more about how you can help advance the fight for accountability and oversight—with trillions of taxpayer dollars being spent and an administration with a track record of graft and insider influence, the possibility for corruption, fraud, and abuse cannot be overstated.
We’ll have opportunities for you to take action and push for oversight soon—and in the meantime, you can help raise awareness of Trump’s attacks on independent watchdogs by forwarding this email.
Thank you,
Donald Sherman
Deputy Director, CREW
