Fox News anchor Shannon Bream asked Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) if President Donald Trump will only obey laws “he wants to” after his firing spree Friday — violating a federal statute along the way.
Trump conducted a late-night purge Friday of at least 17 inspectors general, federal watchdogs who are protected by a law requiring notice and a clear rationale for their removal by a president — which Trump did not provide.
On this week’s edition of Fox News Channel’s Fox News Sunday, Bream opened her interview with Cotton by pressing him about the firings — which Cotton defended:
SHANNON BREAM, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: I want to ask you about the reporting there that Lucas had about the firing of these inspectors general. I’ve talked to — I’ve heard of some — from some of your GOP colleagues who were concerned about this saying it didn’t give the proper notification even if ultimately it would be, the notice wasn’t there and is President Trump signaling he’s just going to, you know, observe which laws he wants to, not others.
SEN. TOM COTTON (R-AR): Well, Shannon, time and time again, the Supreme Court has said that Congress can’t impose restrictions on the president’s power to remove officers.
In President Trump’s first term, he removed the director of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau despite limitations on the president’s constitutional power to remove officers. That was litigated at the Supreme Court and the president won.
So, ultimately, these inspectors general serve at the pleasure — pleasure of the president. He wants new people in there. He wants people who focused on getting out waste and fraud and abuse and reforming these agencies. He has a right to get in there who he wants.
BREAM: Do you think he will? That’s the next question because there have been times when those inspector general slots have been left open by various presidents. Are you confident because they’re your eyes and ears as lawmakers that they will be filled?
COTTON: I believe so and he says he wants to fill those offices, maybe won’t fill them immediately because there’s an entire administration to staff and he may have other priorities, but I think the president’s inherent power to remove officers will be upheld if it’s challenged in court as it has been time and again for Democratic and Republican presidents alike.
Watch above via Fox News Channel’s Fox News Sunday.
