Trump Fires Intelligence Official Who Refused to Hide Trump's Corruption

Trump has fired the intelligence community’s chief watchdog, Michael Atkinson, saying he no longer has confidence in him. He will be removed 30 days from now.  Trump is using a global pandemic as cover to exact political revenge against the Intelligence Community Inspector General who revealed his misconduct.

Trump is firing the intelligence community inspector general whose insistence on telling lawmakers about a whistle-blower complaint about his dealings with Ukraine triggered impeachment proceedings last fall... 

Atkinson's decision set in motion the congressional probe that culminated in Trump's impeachment...

Under the law that created the position of the inspector general for the intelligence community, the president can only remove that person a month after notifying the intelligence communities of his intentions and rationale.

But rather than being permitted to serve for another month, the White House told Mr. Atkinson late Friday that he was being placed on administrative leave, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. The move effectively circumvents the 30-day safeguard by sidelining him immediately.

Trump firing an Inspector General for doing his job is a declaration of deep commitment to corruption. This presidency is a crime organization.  Firing Inspector General Atkinson is corruption, and it threatens our national security during a global crisis. 

The slew of late-night announcements, coming as the world’s attention is gripped by the coronavirus pandemic, raised the specter of a White House power play over the community of inspectors general, independent officials whose mission is to root out waste, fraud and abuse within the government.

The fact that Trump used the cover of a pandemic to deflect attention just underscores his corrupt ends.  Atkinson firing is part of a broader story that could unfold even further over the coming weeks. Conservative allies of Trump have been urging him to fire "Deep State" Inspector Generals across government whose job is to identify corruption.

In an unusual rebuke of a president, Michael Horowitz, the chair of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, said in a statement: "Inspector General Atkinson is known throughout the Inspector General community for his integrity, professionalism, and commitment to the rule of law and independent oversight. That includes his actions in handling the Ukraine whistleblower complaint, which the then Acting Director of National Intelligence stated in congressional testimony was done 'by the book' and consistent with the law."

Mark Zaid, a national security lawyer who represented the Ukraine whistleblower, called the firing “delayed retaliatory action” for Atkinson’s “proper handling of a whistleblower complaint.”

By law, firing an Inspector General requires the President to provide a reason. That means a valid reason. “Loss of confidence” that results from the Inspector General exercising his independence and doing his job is not a valid reason. This requires immediate oversight hearings.

Trump is ousting the intelligence community inspector general, Michael K. Atkinson, because he lost confidence in him, the president wrote in a letter to leaders of the two congressional intelligence committees. He gave no further explanation.

Before his role in bringing to light Mr. Trump’s actions toward Ukraine that led to his impeachment, Mr. Atkinson had been nominated to the position by Mr. Trump and confirmed unanimously by the Senate.  Atkinson was nominated by Trump in November 2017 after serving 16 years at the Justice Department.

Senate Intel Vice Chair Mark Warner: "In the midst of a national emergency, it is unconscionable that the President is once again attempting to undermine the integrity of the intelligence community by firing yet another an intelligence official simply for doing his job."

Senat Minority Leader Chuck Schumer: "Whether it's Lt. Col. Vindman, Captain Crozier, or Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson: President Trump fires people for telling the truth ... Being fired for having the courage to speak truth to power makes him a patriot."

In February, after the Republican-controlled Senate acquitted Mr. Trump of charges that he abused his power and obstructed Congress, the president ousted other administration officials who cooperated in the impeachment inquiry by providing testimony, including Gordon D. Sondland, the ambassador to the European Union, and Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman, a National Security Council aide.

The White House marched Colonel Vindman out with security guards, along with Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, an Army officer who also worked on the National Security Council staff but had played no role in the impeachment inquiry, but he happens to be Colonel Vindman’s brother.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/03/us/trump-inspector-general-intelligence-fired.html

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/03/politics/trump-fires-inspector-general-michael-atkinson/index.html

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/03/trump-fires-intelligence-community-inspector-general-164287