The House Intelligence Committee is looking into the firing of Intelligence Community Inspector General (ICIG) Michael Atkinson, The Washington Post reports. Committee chair Adam Schiff informed acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell that the committee was “reviewing the circumstances of Mr. Atkinson’s dismissal, including whether his termination was intended to curb any ongoing investigations or reviews being undertaken by his office.” Schiff requested that Grenell notify him if he’d ever prohibited Atkinson or his successor—Thomas Monheim—from “completing any investigation.” He also requested that Grenell hand over the ICIG’s semi-annual report outlining investigations, problems or abuses, and any troubles the ICIG had in obtaining information relevant to their probes.
This comes after President Trump fired Atkinson last week. Atkinson disclosed the existence of a whistleblower report to Congress. The whistleblower was concerned about the president’s now infamous phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky—which sparked impeachment proceedings against him. In a statement, Atkinson said he was fired due to him “faithfully” executing his “legal obligations as an independent and impartial inspector general.”
