1/We have issued formal statement from @wbaidlaw regarding removal of ICIG #Atkinson. Please share widely:

President Trump’s firing of Michael Atkinson is a direct assault on critical federal oversight mechanisms implemented in the wake of Watergate.

2/Independent inspectors general serve a crucial function in government oversight to hold officials, including the president, publicly accountable.

3/Atkinson’s firing cannot be interpreted as anything other than retaliation for his proper handling of the intelligence community whistleblower’s complaint.

4/The move is part of a larger effort to undermine the independence and neutrality of inspectors general, which could have a chilling effect on would-be whistleblowers and stack the deck against those who do come forward.

5/It is not hyperbole to say that effective government oversight has never been more important than it is now, especially to protect whistleblowers.

6/We are in the midst of a global pandemic, and the government’s effectiveness is a matter of life and death for tens – perhaps hundreds – of thousands of Americans.

END/Now is the time for truth-telling. The lives of Americans depend on whether public servants like Michael #Atkinson and Capt. Brett #Crozier, former commander of the USS #TheodoreRoosevelt, can carry out their duties without interference, fear or retaliation.