President Trump Purges Inspectors General, Firing Several Amid Controversy

Last Friday, President Donald Trump ordered the immediate departure of at least 17 inspectors general from various federal agencies, demanding that they hand over their work laptops and ID badges. One of those inspectors general, Phyllis Fong at the US Department of Agriculture, refused to comply with the order, believing it to be illegal. According to a report from Reuters, she was escorted from the building today by security.

Phyllis Fong: A 22-Year Veteran of the USDA

Fong is a 22-year veteran of the inspector general office with the USDA. Her extensive career is likely a significant factor in her removal, but she also possesses the most institutional knowledge of IG operations in the federal government. In 2008, she was named the first Chairperson of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) and sat on the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board that oversaw federal spending related to disaster relief. Her biography on the USDA website highlights her numerous awards for leadership in enhancing sound financial management practices and policies in the Federal Government.

A Skilled Expert in Efficiency and Waste Reduction

Seems like the kind of person you’d want around if your whole thing is eliminating wasteful spending and inefficient operations. However, perhaps there is another reason for her removal, such as her involvement in an investigation into Neuralink, a company run by Elon Musk that is seeking to implant chips into people’s brains. Then maybe you’d fire her as retribution – hypothetically speaking, that is.

The Legality of the Firings

Regardless of the reason for Fong’s and some of her colleagues’ removal, her position that the firings were illegal seems to hold weight. CIGIE responded to the firings by stating that they appeared to violate federal law, with Chairman Hannibal Ware writing in a letter to the White House that "At this point, we do not believe the actions taken are legally sufficient to dismiss Presidentially Appointed, Senate Confirmed Inspectors General." Senator Adam Schiff has also explicitly called the firings illegal, while Republican Senator Chuck Grassley has urged the Trump administration to explain the firings and why there was no 30-day notice as required under the law.

The Democrats’ Response

Will any of them actually do something about it, though? Thus far, the Democrats have proven feckless in the face of Trump’s shock and awe campaign. When confusion over a Trump executive order led to Medicaid portals becoming inaccessible across the country, Dem leadership announced an emergency meeting – for the next day.

A Possible Reinstatement

Maybe they’ll get around to trying to reinstate the USDA’s inspector general next week if they have time. It’s not like the agency is currently monitoring a bird flu outbreak at the moment or anything. No rush!