Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said Sunday he won’t shed any “crocodile tears” over President Donald Trump’s firing of the Department of State inspector general.
In an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Johnson said Obama appointee Steve Linick, as do all executive branch internal watchdogs, serves at the pleasure of the president.
“I’m sure Democrats in the House will call in Mr. Linick and he'll tell his side of the story and the administration will tell their story as well,” Johnson said. “I'm not crying big crocodile tears over this termination, let's put it that way.”
“Not all inspector generals are created equal,” Johnson added.
“In our oversight work we've had two inspector generals resign, they left town ahead of the posse, so to speak,” he said. “There are inspector generals that bring a political agenda as well as those that do a phenomenal job. So they're not all equal. In the end, they serve at the pleasure of the president and he's got the authority to hire and terminate.”
Johnson also dismissed criticism of the abrupt firing, and its rationale.
“I've spoken with senior officials from the White House and State Department, I understand their reasoning,” he said. “I don't know if they're going to provide more robust rationale, but I understand it, I don't disagree with it."
“I don't think anything this administration will say will satisfy some people who will be huffing and puffing and stomping their feet,” he asserted.
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