Two top Democrats launched a probe into Inspector General Steve Linick's firing and said it was done to shield Pompeo from an internal investigation.
WASHINGTON – Top congressional Democrats opened an inquiry Saturday into Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's ouster of a government watchdog and accused Pompeo of trying to shield himself from an internal investigation.
A senior State Department official said Pompeo’s move to fire the agency’s top watchdog “blindsided everybody” and smacks of “political retaliation.”The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, confirmed the inspector general, Linick, was investigating Pompeo’s use of State Department staff to run personal errands for himself and his wife.
The White House is required to give Congress 30 days notice before removing an inspector general, which President Donald Trump did Friday in a letter sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., at about 8:30 p.m. "The guy has never picked sides politically. He's just a straight shooter when it comes to doing his job for the taxpayer," the person said.
Latest on coronavirus stimulus: House passes $3 trillion coronavirus stimulus plan, faces pushback in Republican-led Senate/ Last month, Trump fired Michael Atkinson, the inspector general for the intelligence community who informed congressional leaders about the whistleblower complaint that led to Trump’s impeachment.
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