In a strong rebuke, Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) criticized President Donald Trump for the firing of at least 12 federal Inspectors General (IG), among them Small Business Administration (SBA) Inspector General Hannibal Ware, a Trump appointee with over three decades of experience in oversight roles.

Markey voiced his outrage, stating, “Donald Trump wants IG to stand for Ignore Graft and Ignore Guardrails. First, he pardons cop beaters, and now he’s firing the cops on the beat that protect against fraud, mismanagement, and wrongdoing. We now know who will watch the watchers – Trump’s henchmen.”

The Massachusetts senator highlighted the significance of Ware’s position, pointing out his role as Chair of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) and as a member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC). He expressed anger and a lack of surprise at Trump’s actions, which he believes violate the Inspector General Reform Act of 1978. Markey praised Ware’s leadership and noted that he has been recognized by officials from both political parties throughout his career.

In light of this development, Markey urged Chair Joni Ernst to postpone the confirmation of Kelly Loeffler for the SBA Administrator position. He called for a delay until either Inspector General Ware is reinstated or a qualified, impartial replacement is confirmed by the Senate. “We cannot let Donald Trump undermine our system of checks and balances and implement his dangerous policies without an independent inspector general to ensure proper oversight,” Markey asserted.