This time the Democrats are once again calling foul on behalf of a move made by Donald Trump. On Friday, it emerged that State Department watchdog General Steve Linick was abruptly let go from his position (that apparently included the bizarre not-so-statesman task of walking Mike Pompeo’s dog.)
That firing is now making headlines around the world because it emerged that Trump himself fired Linick amid reports that Linick was actually investigating Mike Pompeo on a number of fronts (including wrongfully asking employees to perform personal tasks.)
Now it has further emerged that Linick wasn’t just poking around for potential abuse-of-power-moments within the department, but he was also apparently investigating a number of government related things itself.
Reports now show that Linick was also investigating. particular Saudi arms deal, er, one that was actually at-once delayed by Congress over the murder of Jamal Kashoggi. Instead — Trump ordered the sale to go through by way of an emergency declaration which may have actually been afoul of the law.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Eliot Engel said he had requested the investigation into the Saudis official per reports. “His office was investigating—at my request—Trump’s phony declaration of an emergency so he could send weapons to Saudi Arabia,” Engel said in a statement. “We don’t have the full picture yet, but it’s troubling that Secretary Pompeo wanted Mr. Linick pushed out before this work could be completed.”
The AP also reports that members of Trump ‘s own party are demanding answers amid concerns that Trump is once-again abusing his powers as President.
“An expression of lost confidence, without further explanation, is not sufficient to fulfill the requirements of the IG Reform Act,” he said in a letter to Trump. “This is in large part because Congress intended that inspectors general only be removed when there is clear evidence of unfitness, wrongdoing, or failure to perform the duties of the office.”
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