Michael Atkinson is shown on Capitol Hill in October. J. Scott Applewhite/AP
GovExec Daily: The Role of Inspectors General in the Trump Era
The Project On Government Oversight's Liz Hempowicz joins the podcast to examine what Michael Atkinson's firing could mean for oversight.
President Donald Trump fired Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson on April 3. Trump wrote in a letter informing Congress of his decisions, “It is vital that I have the fullest confidence in the appointees serving as inspectors general. That is no longer the case with regard to this inspector general.” When asked about it the next day, he said "I thought he did a terrible job. Absolutely terrible," and called the whistleblower complaint "fake." This follows a pattern of the president attacking public servants and bodies tasked with overseeing his administration.
Liz Hempowicz, the Director of Public Policy for the Project on Government Oversight, joined the podcast to examine the effect of Trump's firing of Atkinson and what oversight looks like in the Trump era.
