January, 2025
Washington — With the President's January 24th attempt to fire many federal agencies' inspectors general — without notice as required by law — an early opportunity presents itself to determine whether we will remain a country governed by the rule of law.
I encourage the IGs to show up for work this week and, if necessary, seek court injunctions to require enforcement of the law, even if it precipitates a constitutional showdown among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Better sooner than later.
IGs are duty-bound to identify and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in federal agencies. If they cave in to illegal demands, they are violating their oaths.
IGs can be effective even in the face of intense political and interest-group pressures. At the U.S. Department of Education in 2005-2007, I witnessed courageous IG staff refuse to buckle under in the face of an outrageous false claims scheme to bilk taxpayers out of billions of dollars in the student loan program. The IG held firm and eventually the Secretary and the White House had to back off.
This is not ancient history. Details of how the scheme worked were released only three months ago, after a decision by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals that the public has a right to see them. Many who follow these issues suspect that other such schemes are now afoot to raid the department's $1.5 trillion student loan portfolio, awaiting a complaisant IG.
So, my plea to IGs is not to fold in the face of illegal acts. Many of us are counting on you to abide by your oaths.
