U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

01/25/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/25/2025 15:28

Ranking Member Markey Blasts Trump Firing of at Least 12 Inspectors General, Including SBA Inspector General Ware

Washington (January 25) - Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement in response to the firing by President Donald Trump of at least 12 federal Inspectors General (IG), including Small Business Administration (SBA) Inspector General Hannibal Ware, whom Trump appointed himself. Ware has 34 years of experience as an IG in multiple agencies and as Chair of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) and a member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC).

"Donald Trump wants IG to stand for Ignore Graft and Ignore Guardrails. First, Donald Trump pardons cop beaters, and now he's firing the cops on the beat that protect from fraud, mismanagement, and wrongdoing. We now know who will watch the watchers - Trump's henchmen," said Ranking Member Markey. "I am angered and disgusted - but not surprised - that President Trump has, in clear defiance of the Inspector General Reform Act of 1978, purged these critical posts. SBA Inspector General Hannibal Ware is an effective leader at SBA and has been lauded by members of both parties throughout his career.

"Given the gravity of this situation, I am calling on Chair Ernst to delay the consideration of Kelly Loeffler to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration either until Inspector General Ware is reinstated or until a qualified and impartial nominee to replace him is confirmed by the Senate. We cannot let Donald Trump undermine our system of checks and balances and enact his dangerous policies without an independent inspector general to provide proper oversight."

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