EPIC, Civil Society Groups Urge Congress to Protect Inspector General Independence

April 10, 2020

EPIC and a coalition of civil society organizations called on Congress today to protect the independence of federal inspectors general. "To operate effectively, IGs need independence both from the agency they are overseeing, and from the president," the groups wrote in a statement. In recent days, President Trump abruptly removed Inspector General of the Intelligence Community and replaced the inspector general overseeing the federal government's use of COVID-19 relief funds. "There's a reason why inspectors general have traditionally always had bipartisan support in Congress: their work is paramount to a functioning government that's built on checks and balances," the groups explained. EPIC has long fought for stronger oversight of U.S. intelligence agencies and has pursued FOIA lawsuits against the CIA, the FBI, the ODNI, and the NSA.

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