President Donald Trump has fired Michael Atkinson, the inspector general for the intelligence community (ICIG) 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 Friday, 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 said he will later nominate another individual to the position.
Trump nominated Atkinson in November 2017 for the ICIG post.
Whistleblower Complaint
In August 2019, Atkinson received a complaint from a mysterious whistleblower regarding Trump’s July 25, 2019, telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.Trump in the call also asked Zelensky to look into the firing of a top Ukrainian prosecutor which allegedly occurred under pressure from Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden. The prosecutor was reportedly investigating the company on which Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden served as a board director.
The whistleblower complaint alleged that Trump pressured the government of Ukraine to investigate Biden, and in doing so, abused his power and violated campaign finance law. The complaint also alleged Rudy Giuliani and Attorney General William Barr were involved.
Secondhand Witness
Trump on Sept. 30, 2019, demanded to know which officials changed the rules on a whistleblower form for complaints submitted to the Office of the ICIG.The removal of the language is significant because the whistleblower wasn’t a firsthand witness to the call.
House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) have refused to make public the whistleblower’s name.
