5/18/20
WASHINGTON — The State Department inspector general fired by President Trump on Friday was investigating whether the administration had unlawfully declared an “emergency” last year to allow the resumption of weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for their war in Yemen, according to a Democratic member of Congress who asked for the inquiry. The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Eliot L. Engel of New York, said that investigation might have been “another reason” for the firing of the inspector general, Steve A. Linick. The White House announced the firing Friday night, and officials said the recommendation to remove Mr. Linick had come from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Mr. Linick’s office, which has hundreds of employees assigned to look into fraud and waste at the State Department, was also examining the potential misuse by Mr. Pompeo of a political appointee to do personal errands for him and his wife, Susan Pompeo.
“We don’t have the full picture yet, but it’s troubling that Secretary Pompeo wanted Mr. Linick pushed out before this work could be completed,” Mr. Engel said. This weekend, after Mr. Trump notified Congress of the firing of Mr. Linick, Mr. Engel’s office learned more details of the circumstances around the arms sale investigation, leading them to think that the inquiry might have contributed to the sudden move against Mr. Linick by Mr. Pompeo and Mr. Trump. The separate inquiry into the potential misuse of the political appointee was still a potential factor, and there might be other motivations for the firing that remain unknown, an aide said. It remains unclear exactly what prompted the firing of Mr. Linick, since the inspector general’s office conducts multiple, simultaneous investigations into the activities of the State Department and its officials. Mr. Linick’s office was close to concluding the investigation into the arms sales.
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