Fired State Department Inspector General Steve Linick Was Investigating If Pompeo Made Staffer Run Personal Errands

The State Department inspector general fired by President Donald Trump last week was  investigating whether Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was making a staffer perform personal errands. Errands included walking his dog, picking up dry cleaning and making a dinner reservation for he and his wife.

The firing of Steve Linick on Friday will add more scrutiny on Trump. This is just the latest firing of independent government watchdogs whose jobs are to oversee the President’s administration.

A senior State Department official told CNN that Pompeo recommended Linick be fired, but it was uncertain why Pompeo requested it. 

The firing came with a lot of pushback from both sides of the aisle. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who’s a frequent advocate for inspectors general, said, “As I’ve said before, Congress requires written reasons justifying an IG’s removal. A general lack of confidence simply is not sufficient detail to satisfy Congress.”

“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 a letter on Friday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Grassley said earlier this month to CNN that he didn’t believe more legislation was needed to protect inspectors general. 

“I think we have plenty of laws to protect inspectors general,” he said.

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