U.S President Donald Trump criticized by the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Congressman Adam Schiff. He has expressed concern without proper oversight that Donald Trump could use the federal response to the coronavirus epidemic to enrich his own companies. On Sunday, Schiff delivered his words in an interview with MSNBC, he said, “In the absence of oversight, you can pretty much guarantee you’re going to get corruption and competence. The more that the president is neutering the inspector generals increases the risk that Donald Trump uses this money to reward his own businesses or businesses of allies and punishes companies that are run by people he doesn’t like or won’t praise him”.
It is noteworthy that a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus package became law in March 2020. It contains a clause prohibiting businesses owned by the US President, federal lawmakers, and other US officials to access federal aid programs. Point to be noted that Trump can’t unilaterally dissolve the oversight bodies that are designed to act as a check on his coronavirus response team and other aspects of his administration. But, he can shake up the leadership of some of those oversight bodies, steps he has already taken. Trump terminated 2 high-profile inspectors general earlier this month, including Intelligence Community IG Michael Atkinson and Acting Defense Department IG Glenn Fine.
Last year, Atkinson forwarded a whistleblower complaint to Schiff’s congressional intelligence panel. He initially outlined to the president’s Ukraine controversy and ultimately led to his impeachment. Trump criticized Health and Human Services Principal Deputy Inspector General Christi Grimm last week. Grimm compiled and published a report that warned hospitals were confronting a shortage of medical and personal protective equipment and testing delays. President Trump claimed the HHS report was politically motivated and wrong. He said the report was based on interviews with officials from 323 hospitals and health systems conducted between 23rd and 27th March 2020.