(Bloomberg Opinion) -- When Donald Trump’s supporters in 2016 imagined him bringing his television catchphrase — “You’re fired!” — to Washington, they probably didn’t think he meant ethics officers and government watchdogs charged with rooting out illegal activity. The president’s removal of such officials has become so brazen that even a few of his allies in Congress are expressing concern.
Expressing concern isn’t good enough. Senate Republicans should join with House Democrats in holding hearings that probe why the president fired four inspectors general over the past two months — without, as a 2008 law requires, giving Congress 30 days’ notice and providing a written explanation.
In the most recent case, Trump fired State Department IG Steve Linick, who had spent two decades in the Justice Department. Trump said he had never heard of Linick and had no reason to fire him, except that the man Linick was investigating — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo — asked him to. Say this for the president: At least he’s skipping the coverup.
Linick was reportedly investigating the propriety of a Saudi arms deal that Pompeo had orchestrated and whether Pompeo had misused government resources for private purposes including household chores. Trump dismissed the whole thing: “I would rather have him on the phone with some world leader than have him wash dishes, because maybe his wife isn’t there or his kids aren’t there.” Perhaps the president is right that it’s all very trivial. Finding out is precisely what Linick was hired to do.
Congress should finish the work itself. The Constitution vests oversight of the executive branch with the legislative branch because no administration can be trusted to police itself. Never has that need been more apparent. Republicans lost the House in 2018 in part because of their failure to exercise appropriate oversight. If ethics don’t move them to act now, political expediency should.
Hearings should be conducted not just on the Linick case but also on the removal of three other inspectors general in April:
- The intelligence community’s IG, Michael Atkinson, who rightly disclosed to Congress a whistle-blower complaint about Trump’s call with the Ukrainian president, which led to the president’s impeachment. Again, Trump made no attempt to hide his self-serving intention, saying of Atkinson: “He took this terrible, inaccurate whistle-blower report and he brought it to Congress.”
- The acting IG of the Department of Health and Human Services, Christi Grimm, who had written a report — which Trump publicly attacked — finding “severe shortages” of coronavirus tests and “widespread shortages” of essential equipment. Trump accused her of being a politically motivated member of the Obama administration. In fact, she is a career public servant who had worked in the inspector general’s office since 1999.
- The acting IG of the Department of Defense, Glenn Fine, who had been selected by his colleagues in the IG community to oversee the implementation of the initial $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill. Again Trump alluded to President Barack Obama and unspecified “reports of bias.” Fine had worked as an IG for 20 years.
Trump’s disdain for accountability and disregard of basic ethical standards aren’t new, but this assault on IGs isn’t just about the president. Stripping federal agencies of independent-minded watchdogs protects misconduct throughout the federal government. It’s a corruption disaster in the making.
Trump has all but dared Republicans in Congress to stand up to him. So far, only a handful have expressed any serious concern, much less called for hearings. Until that changes, the Trump administration will be able to shield itself from proper oversight, and ethical violations and acts of fraud and abuse will continue unchecked.
The American people — of all parties — should demand better.
Michael R. Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News. He is the UN secretary-general’s special envoy for climate action.
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