Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Ousts Watchdog Overseeing Coronavirus Stimulus Package In Latest Attack On Inspector Generals
The New York Times: Trump Ousts Coronavirus Spending Watchdog Glenn Fine
President Trump moved on Tuesday to oust the leader of a new watchdog panel charged with overseeing how his administration spends trillions of taxpayer dollars in coronavirus pandemic relief, the latest step in an abruptly unfolding White House power play against semi-independent inspectors general across the government. The official, Glenn A. Fine, has been the acting inspector general for the Defense Department since before Mr. Trump took office and was set to become the chairman of a new Pandemic Response Accountability Committee to police how the government carries out the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief bill. But Mr. Trump replaced Mr. Fine in his Pentagon job, disqualifying him from serving on the new oversight panel. (Savage and Baker, 4/7)
The Associated Press: Trump Challenges Authority, Independence Of Agency Watchdogs
In four days, Trump has fired one inspector general tied to his impeachment, castigated another he felt was overly critical of the coronavirus response and sidelined a third meant to safeguard against wasteful spending of the coronavirus funds. The actions have sent shock waves across the close-knit network of watchdog officials in government, creating open conflict between a president reflexively resistant to outside criticism and an oversight community tasked with rooting out fraud, misconduct and abuse. (Tucker, Daly and Jalonick, 4/8)
Reuters: Trump Removes Top Coronavirus Watchdog, Widens Attack On Inspectors General
It was the Republican president’s most recent broadside against the federal watchdogs who seek to root out government waste, fraud and abuse following his removal on Friday of the intelligence community’s IG and his sharp criticism of the one who oversees the Department of Health and Human Services. Glenn Fine, acting Defense Department inspector general, was named last week to chair a committee acting as a sort of uber-watchdog over the federal government’s response to the new coronavirus, including health policy and the largest economic relief package in U.S. history. (Lambert and Brice, 4/7)
The New York Times: Trump’s Inspector General Has Expressed Dim Views Of Congressional Oversight
Amid the blur of President Trump’s impeachment proceedings in December, the Government Accountability Office received a terse message from the White House regarding its investigation into why security aid to Ukraine was withheld. The inquiries of Congress’s nonpartisan watchdog arm had already been rebuffed by the Defense Department and it received spotty responses from the White House Office of Management and Budget. On Dec. 20, a White House lawyer made clear that there would be no further cooperation. (Rappeport, 4/7)
The Washington Post: Trump Removes Inspector General Glenn Fine, Who Was Tasked To Oversee Coronavirus Stimulus Spending
“We wanted inspectors general because of an out-of-control president named Richard Nixon, and this president is trying to destroy them,” said Danielle Brian, executive director of the Project on Government Oversight. “What’s happened this week has been a total full-on assault on the IG system.” (Nakashima, 4/7)
The Wall Street Journal: Trump Removes Watchdog Who Heads Panel Overseeing Pandemic Stimulus Spending
“Basically, the message that has now been sent very loudly and clearly throughout the United States government, to inspectors general and everybody else, is don’t displease this guy because you’re liable to lose your job. It’s the chilling effect,” Sen. Angus King (I., Maine) said of the president in an interview. Presidents generally have unilateral authority to remove inspectors general, but they have traditionally avoided doing so because they are seen as independent watchdogs. With Mr. Fine’s ouster, the Environmental Protection Agency’s watchdog, Sean O’Donnell, who was appointed in January, has stepped in as acting inspector general at the Defense Department, officials said. (Kesling, Restuccia and Volz, 4/7)
Politico: Trump Removes Independent Watchdog For Coronavirus Funds, Upending Oversight Panel
Democrats blasted Trump's decision. "The sudden removal and replacement of Acting Inspector General Fine is part of a disturbing pattern of retaliation by the president against independent overseers fulfilling their statutory and patriotic duties to conduct oversight on behalf of the American people," said Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a statement. Senate Minority Leader ripped Trump's "corrupt action" and said he is trying to sideline "honest and independent public servants because they are willing to speak truth to power and because he is so clearly afraid of strong oversight." (Cheney and O'Brien, 4/7)
ABC News: Trump Abruptly Removes Inspector General Named To Oversee $2T In Stimulus Spending
Fine, who served for 11 years at as the Department of Justice inspector general, will now return to the position of principal deputy inspector general for the Department of Defense, Allen told ABC News. In that deputy role, he was no longer eligible to lead the stimulus watchdog group. “President Trump is abusing the coronavirus pandemic to eliminate honest and independent public servants because they are willing to speak truth to power and because he is so clearly afraid of strong oversight," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. (Siegel, Mallin and Khan, 4/7)
