In Late Night Retribution, Trump Boots IG Who Alerted Congress To Whistleblower Complaint

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: President Donald Trump stops to talk to the media about the shooting in a California Mosque as he makes his way to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House as he travels to Green Bay Wisconsin for a campaign rally on April 27, 2019 in Washington, DC. The President was traveling on the night of the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington. (Photo by Pete Marovich/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: President Donald Trump stops to talk to the media about the shooting in a California synagogue as he makes his way to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House as he travels to Green ... WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: President Donald Trump stops to talk to the media about the shooting in a California synagogue as he makes his way to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House as he travels to Green Bay Wisconsin for a campaign rally on April 27, 2019 in Washington, DC. The President was traveling on the night of the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner in Washington. (Photo by Pete Marovich/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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Late Friday night, President Donald Trump fired the inspector general of the intelligence community who alerted Congress to the whistleblower’s complaint, which touched off the inquiry that left the President impeached.

Trump notified the Senate and House Intelligence Communities of Michael Atkinson’s firing in a letter dated April 3. In the missive, obtained by Politico, Trump says that Atkinson will be removed in 30 days.

He wrote that he no longer has the “fullest confidence” in Atkinson, and will be putting forward a new nominee for Senate approval.


Per Politico, Atkinson was only informed of his firing on Friday and put on administrative leave.

Atkinson’s involvement with the whistleblower complaint kickstarted Trump’s impeachment process by bringing the whistleblower complaint to Congress’ attention.

Atkinson disagreed with then-acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire’s decision to seek the Justice Department’s counsel on the matter, rather than turn over the complaint directly to the intel committees.

The inspector general’s decision led to the inquiry that left Trump impeached, though ultimately acquitted by the Republican-majority Senate.

Democrats were immediately up in arms about Trump’s late-night firing.

From the chairman of the House Intelligence Community and ranking member on its Senate counterpart:

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Notable Replies

  1. Susan Collins is concerned.

  2. Avatar for tsp tsp says:

    He wrote that he no longer has the “fullest confidence” in Atkinson, and will be putting forward a new nominee for Senate approval.

    AKA “Atkinson failed the loyalty test.”

  3. Avatar for tsp tsp says:

    No she’s not. Even if she says otherwise.

  4. Trump is causing thousands of Americans to die needlessly with his Criminal Negligence and unlawful acts during this pandemic! There is NO double jeopardy in impeachment…just saying

    IMHO, Trump is either deranged/unhinged and or so very very desperate in his finances that he is blatantly unconcerned about the law he is breaking OR of the grim American death toll numbers!

    By firing Atkinson, he is sending a message to the incoming Special IG for the Cares Act Congressional Oversignt or any current oversight NOT to report to Congress AND this will allow Trump to easily manipulate any foreign interference in future elections!

    Trump’s motives at this point are, for want of a better word, sinister. He appears to be using the playbook of Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orban, readying the ground for an election that will have two candidates but only one possible outcome. What we are seeing in Trump’s nightly lies and obfuscations and denunciations of Democrats and the media is the beginnings of a Trumpian totalitarianism.

    Meanwhile…
    #FoxNewsLiedAsPeopleDied is trending on Twitter and here’s The Daily Show’s “Heroes of Pandumdic”

    Addendum:

    And let’s NOT forget what he did in yesterday’s Covid presser!

    Addendum2:

    Kudos to OR Gov. brown for sending much needed ventilators to NY!

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