Romney Denounces Firings of IGs as ‘A Threat to Accountable Democracy’

Senator Mitt Romney (R- UT) took to Twitter Saturday night to denounce the last firing of an inspector general in the Trump administration.

The latest IG ousted was the State Department inspector general, who was reportedly investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Romney brought up the ousters of other IGs and tweeted, “The firings of multiple Inspectors General is unprecedented; doing so without good cause chills the independence essential to their purpose. It is a threat to accountable democracy and a fissure in the constitutional balance of power.”

The firings of multiple Inspectors General is unprecedented; doing so
without good cause chills the independence essential to their purpose. It is a threat to accountable democracy and a fissure in the constitutional balance of power.

— Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) May 16, 2020

Fellow GOP senators Chuck Grassley and Susan Collins issued statements expressing concern:

Grassley, who has long defended the role of IGs, told me on May 4 that additional legislation wasn’t needed to protect them, saying: “I think we have plenty of laws to protect inspectors general.” Here’s his full statement from today: pic.twitter.com/yZTDwrB8Px

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 16, 2020

The President has not provided the kind of justification for the removal of IG Linick required by this law.

— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) May 17, 2020