Sen. Chuck Grassley is working on a bipartisan letter addressed to President Donald Trump demanding an explanation for the firing of Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson, according to aides in both parties.
The Senate Finance Committee chairman is still working to secure cosponsors for the letter, a Republican aide said. The letter will focus on Atkinson's Friday firing amid a broader purge by the president of inspectors general.The letter is supported by Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.
Trump said recently that he fired Atkinson for doing a "terrible job" with a whistleblower report that kicked off the president's impeachment. Atkinson said he was likely fired for "having faithfully discharged my legal obligations as an independent and impartial inspector general."Grassley's office did not comment other than to point to a Tuesday statement reiterating his support for inspectors general and urging the president to use them.
“Inspectors general provide a critical check on an otherwise unaccountable bureaucracy. In other words, they help drain the swamp. Their duty is to provide nonpartisan recommendations and remove politics from the inner workings of our federal government. The White House should empower inspectors general so they’re able to do their job," Grassley said, citing recent IG work on surveillance of the Trump campaign in the 2016 election.
Trump fired Glenn Fine, a Defense Department watchdog, on Monday. Grassley thanked "Fine for his service to his country" in his statements.
ChuckGrassley The blame-casting will be engineered around a premise that POTUS Trump fired Atkinson for retaliation in his role in the impeachment nonsense. YOU AREcompletely miss the OIG report that outlines Atkinsons gross incompetence as the internal FISA compliance auditor.
I wasn’t aware POTUS needed an explanation. But if he’s in the mood he could explain why he abandoned PayrollTaxCut as part of the stimulus and why he lied about BackToWork by Easter
Since Grassley is using a pencil and some notebook paper it will be several months before he finishes this letter.
An explanation which sychophantic ChuckGrassley will immediately accept GOPBetrayedAmerica GOPCorruptionOverCountry as legitimate
Just like the rest of your requests, Chuckie, it will get sh**canned.
We know why. Grassley knows why. He's just doing this to avoid having to take real action.
GOP belatedly thinking about Nov and realizing they need to APPEAR to challenge Trump while really not doing anything effective.
Did Chuck finally wake up from his Geritol induced coma?
Here is Trumps answer- I did it because I could and I don't owe anyone an explanation.
So Grassley is pretending to care about this? Well let’s just throw in Susan Collins on this🤷🏻♀️
The president can fire anyone he wants, for any reason. It's called the Executive Branch for a reason.
Y’all should have voted to impeach!! See what giving Trump a pass is doing?
That should do it, a strongly worded letter. The political bravery is awe inspiring
Turdpolisher TrumpOwnsEveryDeath
Trump25thAmendmentNOW
It’s about time, Chuck.
Oooh, a letter. Whatever shall Trump do? Read it? Ha ha ha ha ha?
Oh right. 🙄
Will there be another letter when he fires the next 7 IG’s? He’s destroying our government and the gop is just letting him do it. They had their chance during the impeachment and blew it.
How quaint
SenateGOP You gave Trump a free impeachment pass. America is paying for it in lives lost. Sell that fake outrage somewhere else.
Wag The Dog
Make sure SenatorCollins has a chance to sign and Express her disappointment
LeaBlackMiami Where is TomSteyer when the need to impeach is back?
Ooooh is it a strongly worded letter ChuckGrassley Are you disappointed and deeply concerned like SenSusanCollins
What How dare he question our fearless leader😂
I’ll believe it when I see it.
What a joke. Grassley and his colleagues could have voted to impeach Trump. It’s not like we didn’t know what an idiot we have for a president. He’s the president of one...HIMSELF.
We need an investigation! Trump has no credibility!
Too little too late.
Growing a spine perhaps?
2 Buck Chuck ChuckGrassley is as concerned about these firings as SenatorCollins is about most things 🙄❗️ GOPBetrayedAmerica
ServedAtThePleasure TrumpWasntPleased
Be careful Senator Trump doesn’t read letters I mean memos 😉
Trump is the most corrupt president ever!
😂😂
He should be demanding to know how Chuck Schumer can threaten Supreme Court Justices and not be in prison.
What a charade. They all know the explanation, which is obvious: retribution.
Joke
Trump will not read it nor will he look for it.
Donald Trump could literally tell Congress he fired Atkinson since he refused an order to kill Joe Biden and Grassley wouldn't do a thing about it.
Oh please, as soon as Trump and McConnell tell ChuckGrassley to stand down, he’ll be bending down 💋ing both their asses and do nothing🙄
Is Susan Collins co-authoring it with a furrowed brow?
He won’t even read it. Don’t waste your time with your faux outrage.
Expect it in December 2021
Doesn’t Grassley know by now that Trump doesn’t read!
Make sure it’s strongly worded.
Quick someone call SenatorCollins so she can show her concern.
🤦♂️
Grandstanding at its best!
Sure Jan.
What!? Is ChuckGrassley concerned? Troubled? Will he write a stern letter? Watch out realDonaldTrump ... there's a letter you won't read headed your direction.
Apparently Trump does not like written letters explaining the importance of potential pandemics nor those on ships serving our country that need protection from a virus.This will not go over well.
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