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Trump ousts multiple government watchdogs in a late-night purge (www.motherjones.com)

submitted 6 days ago by jeffw to c/news

38 comments fedilink hide all child comments

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[–] [email protected] 115 points 6 days ago (4 children)

A federal law enacted in 2022 stipulates that the president must give Congress at least 30 days notice before firing an inspector general, as well as reasons for the firing—none of which occurred.

So... he didn't? Like, I get that there's a "what are you gonna do about it" where law only restrains an executive if someone with power stops them (including underlings just not following illegal orders like they're supposed to), but this shouldn't be reported as "he fired them", but "he's trying to illegally fire them". Media and politicians shouldn't just take it as done. It's an illegal act and should be framed as such. Don't just accept every order he makes as valid.

[–] [email protected] 54 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (3 children)

The media are fine with it. It's drama to them. Drama sells. What doesn't sell is Trump in a cell. There'd be a lot less stories after that.

[–] Raiderkev 22 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Why do you think they vastly under covered his scandals after his 1st term? They wanted this. They are going to make a bunch of money off rage bait while we all collectively get fucked.

[–] Bacano 18 points 6 days ago

Take it one further, media is no longer legitimate journalism, and it's owned by those with corporate interests

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 days ago

Everything being done right now is a social contract between the administration and media. Report my stuff, I’ll keep doing stuff worthy of reporting. Bad precedent.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

I would guess the world would get more hectic if Trump were arrested at this point, not less...

[–] jewbacca117 24 points 6 days ago (1 children)

It's only illegal if someone enforces it

[–] [email protected] 47 points 6 days ago (3 children)

Similarly, the firing is only real if someone actually stops them from going back to work. If they show up on Monday, then some individual person is going to have to obey an illegal order to stop them from entering their office. Make individual people legally responsible for implementing the order. I'm sure someone will, but don't comply in advance and don't excuse the people who implement it. Underlings also have a lot more risk of legal exposure and you want them as a group to worry about themselves when they're tasked with making the fascism happen.

[–] AbidanYre 12 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Or if they just stop getting paychecks.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

The order is pretty blatantly illegal. There's no real interpretation, just a straightforward law, passed very recently, that says you need to fire them in this way. So they'll probably get their pay and get officially confirmed to be still employed eventually. Presumably the people who are inspectors general aren't living paycheck to paycheck. The important thing is to not give Trump the additional power to just say illegal things and then everyone else just accepts them.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

Cool so what are they going to do, sue? Bring a gun?

This is what people mean when they say "might equals right." The person with the biggest army/most power, and the willingness to flex it, gets what they want, period.

This is the system that we have now. This is not a new system. Very very old in fact. So luckily for you, there's tons of shit to read about in order to educate yourself.

[–] FlyingSquid 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

You really think if they show up tomorrow and go to their office, they will be able to just carry on as if nothing happened?

We're talking about the administration that is actively trying to root out some sort of perceived DEI conspiracy by sending Secret Service agents around to government departments and contractors. Stories keep popping up about it.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Someone needs to stop them. A real specific person. Not just the presidential diktat. And it's valuable to make them do it and then ideally, when the court cases roll around make them responsible for it. Learned helplessness doesn't have any benefit.

[–] FlyingSquid 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

I don't know what real specific person you mean, but I have no idea how you think they could bring down the entire Republican-run U.S. government by themselves. You do understand this problem is far deeper than just Trump, right? If Trump is killed, Harris doesn't get to be president, Vance does. And Vance is even worse.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

What? When did I ever say an IG is going to take down the government? This whole response is a non-sequitur.

[–] FlyingSquid 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

You:

When did I ever say an IG is going to take down the government?

Me right before that:

I don’t know what real specific person you mean

I don't see a point in conversing with you if you're going to ignore what I said.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

You seem to have not understood what I wrote. The "real specific person" is whoever blocks their entry or tries to remove them from their office. A real person needs to do that, and it makes them legally vulnerable. Make them do it, and then make them a defendant in the resulting court cases. The whole point is making the underlings worried about enforcing the king's diktat, because the king may be untouchable but they are not.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 days ago

Ok so you really don't understand how fascism works, do you?

[–] Modern_medicine_isnt 2 points 5 days ago

Well technically it isn't illegal until a court says it is. So you need the alledgedly in the front. But can you really blame them for not labeling it illegal. They know they would be retaliated against.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Still haven't fucking figured it out, huh?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

Go curl up in a ball and cry. You've made Trumpism an unstoppable force in your mind and preemptively surrendered, so you have nothing of value to add to this conversation.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

You know nothing about me, but please, continue telling me what I believe.

I'm just not fucking delusional. The first step to actually doing something, is recognizing the reality of the situation you are in. As long as you continue to operate as if things are the same as they were two weeks ago, then shit is just going to get worse and worse.

Like I don't understand what you can't seem to grasp here. They will physically remove this IG (and whomever else they please) if need be. What the fuck are you going to do about it? Sue them? Write a letter?

[–] cfi 64 points 6 days ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Massacre

Once again, Trump is just doing what Nixon did but worse and getting away with it

[–] Snowclone 38 points 6 days ago (1 children)

So democracy, very lawful.

[–] HerrBeter 5 points 6 days ago

Wen impeach

[–] [email protected] 25 points 6 days ago (2 children)

"late-night purge"

That was not on my bingo card for the US in 2025....

[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Why not? The Night of Long Knives seems to be slated for either 2025 or 2026.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago

At this rate yeah, but I didn't picture it this soon before he started actually doing shit, and since then I haven't had time to think about it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago

Oooof, those enchiladas

[–] Reality_Suit 28 points 6 days ago

Another example of how he is literally breaking the law.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 6 days ago (1 children)

One of the "ousted" inspectors general responds.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Do you have a non-PDF link? I'm sure it's probably fine, but I don't trust strange PDFs.

[–] Mog_fanatic 34 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

January 24, 2025

Mr. Sergio Gor Director of Presidential Personnel The White House

Dear Mr. Gor:

I am writing in response to your email sent to me and other Inspectors General earlier this evening wherein you informed each of us that “due to changing priorities, your position as Inspector General . . . is terminated, effective immediately.”

As Chairperson of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), I recommend that you reach out to White House Counsel to discuss your intended course of action. At this point, we do not believe the actions taken are legally sufficient to dismiss Presidentially Appointed, Senate Confirmed Inspectors General.

Specifically, based upon the 2022 amendments to the Inspector General Act of 1978, the President must notify Congress 30 days prior to removal of an IG and provide “substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons” for such removal. 5 U.S.C. § 403(b), as amended by the section 5202(a) of the Securing Inspector General Independence Act of 2022 (Title LII, Subtitle A, of P.L. 117-263, 136 Stat. 2395, 3222). The requirement to provide the substantive rationale, including detailed and case specific reasons, was added to better enable Congress to engage on and respond to a proposed removal of an Inspector General in order to protect the independence of Inspectors General.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]. Sincerely,

Hannibal “Mike” Ware CIGIE Chairperson

Cc: Rand Paul, Chairman, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affiairs Gary Peters, Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs James Comer, Chairman, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Gerald Connolly, Ranking Member, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Oh no, a letter! Oh and some might even call it, "strongly worded" (honestly, I don't think I would)

Now we're talking!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Do you not understand that the civilized world uses letters to enforce binding legal agreements? This letter is very much a "fuck you we aren't fired because you have no authority to do that. Lol get fucked orange turd."

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Not anymore. Not in this country.

Might equals right in fascism. They will literally physically remove this person if it comes to it, and then what the fuck are you going to do about it?

[–] Modern_medicine_isnt 3 points 5 days ago

The supreme court would probably side with the IG on this. They support conservative ideas, but they also clearly want to ensure they keep power for themselves. Even the thing about a sitting pres being immune for official acts actually had a clause that said the courts decide what an official act is.
So the letter is the basis for that legal filing. Which can also file for an injunction to stop the firing from taking effect far longer than the 30 days.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 days ago

From the toilet