Senate Intelligence Committee member and Republican senator Susan Collins criticized President Trump’s decision to fire Intelligence Committee Inspector General (ICIG) Michael Atkinson, calling it “not warranted.”
Collins said, “While I recognize that the President has the authority to appoint and remove Inspectors General, I believe Inspector General Atkinson served the intelligence community and the American people well, and his removal was not warranted,” The Hill reported.
“I did not find his rationale for removing Inspector General Atkinson to be persuasive,” Collins said, according to the Bangor Daily News. Trump, however, defended his actions at a White House briefing on Saturday, calling Atkinson a “disgrace” to the metier of inspector general.
“I thought he did a terrible job. Absolutely terrible. He took a whistleblower report, which turned out to be a fake report … and he brought it to Congress with an emergency,” Trump told reporters at the presser. “Not a big Trump fan, that I can tell you,” Trump added.
President Trump on Michael Atkinson: “I thought he did a terrible job. Absolutely terrible. He took a whistleblower report, which turned out to be a fake report…it was about my conversation with the president of Ukraine. He took a fake report and he brought it to Congress.” pic.twitter.com/nctqgPNQ7T
— CSPAN (@cspan) April 4, 2020
Fellow Iowa Senator and Independent Angus King also questioned Trump’s decision to dismiss Atkinson, saying: “whether and how much of this news is more political than policy-oriented,” the outlet reported.
“When speaking the truth leads to potential retribution, we know less and are at increased risk,” King added. “The world we live in is darker and more dangerous. President Trump is taking these actions to protect himself—but in the process, he risks making the entire country less safe.”
On Friday, President Donald Trump fired Michael Atkinson, the inspector general who handled the anonymous whistleblower complaint that triggered the House Democratic-led impeachment inquiry against the president.
In a letter to the Senate intelligence committee on that day, Trump said that he would remove Atkinson from office “effective 30 days from today.”
“It is extremely important that we promote the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of federal programs and activities,” Trump wrote.
“The inspectors general have a critical role in the achievement of these goals,” he continued.
“As is the case with regard to other positions where I, as president, have the power of appointment, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, it is vital that I have the fullest confidence in the appointees serving as inspectors general.”
“That is no longer the case with regard to this inspector general,” Trump said in the letter, referring to Atkinson. Trump nominated Atkinson in November 2017 for the ICIG post.
“Mr. Atkinson has served as an Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General of the National Security Division of the Department of Justice since 2016,” the White House said when announcing Atkinson’s nomination.
