Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On President Trump Firing Independent Inspectors General Across Multiple, Vital Federal Agencies

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on Donald Trump firing at least 12 independent inspectors general across multiple agencies in an effort to once again place himself and his administration above accountability. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Yesterday in the dark of night, President Trump fired at least 12 independent inspectors general at important federal agencies across the administration.

This is a chilling purge, and it’s a preview of the lawless approach Donald Trump and his administration is taking far too often as he is becoming President.

These dismissals are possibly in violation of federal law, which requires Congress to have a 30-day notice of any intent to fire inspectors general.

These firings are Donald Trump’s way of telling us he is terrified of accountability and is hostile to facts and to transparency. Inspectors general can be vital for keeping the government honest. They’re the ones who tell the truth and shine a light on bad behavior. And we all know there’s nothing Donald Trump is more afraid of than someone who is independent.

President Trump has an aversion to the truth, and when someone confronts him with truth and facts, he fires them and replaces them with loyalists.

We’re a fact-based society. We lose that, we lose the core of America. And Donald Trump’s decision to fire 12 of the federal government’s independent watchdogs is a glaring sign that it’s a Golden Age for abuse in government and even corruption.

When government agencies disobey the law in the next year, and there’s no independent IG to keep them in check, Donald Trump could well regret this action.

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