Inspector General Removals and Why Federal Employees Should Care
federal employment inspectors general merit system mindfulness at work whistleblower protection Oct 22, 2025On October 15, the White House removed Parisa Salehi, the Senate-confirmed Inspector General (IG) at the Export-Import Bank—without giving Congress the 30-day notice and written rationale required by law. That’s not just a procedural glitch. It strikes at the statutory independence of inspectors general—the very officials tasked with protecting the merit system, rooting out waste and fraud, and ensuring federal employees can report wrongdoing without retaliation.
Even Senator Chuck Grassley, a longtime defender of IG oversight, publicly criticized the move. His reaction underscores how bipartisan the expectation of transparency is when it comes to firing watchdogs.
The Legal Framework: What the Law Actually Says
Under the Inspector General Act, a President who removes or transfers an IG must give Congress at least 30 days’ advance notice with a case-specific explanation. That safeguard wasn’t a suggestion—it was Congress’s way of maintaining public trust in government operations.
Earlier this year, the administration removed at least 17 inspectors general without notice. A federal judge later ruled those removals unlawful but declined reinstatement because the President could technically repeat the process with proper notice. The takeaway: the law matters, but accountability only holds when leaders choose to follow it.
Why It Matters for Every Federal Employee
If IG independence erodes, so does the integrity of the system that protects you. The Office of Inspector General is where employees turn when internal channels fail—when retaliation, contract fraud, or gross mismanagement needs a neutral referee.
Recent disruptions in the IG community’s infrastructure make this even more concerning. Funding lapses have left the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency partially dark, limiting access to OIG reports and whistleblower portals. When those safety valves weaken, employees may hesitate to report wrongdoing, and systemic issues can go unaddressed.
At the Department of Defense, proposed changes to IG processes—coinciding with an active review of Secretary Hegseth’s own communications—highlight a growing tension between oversight and political control. Whether or not you wear a uniform, the principle at stake is the same: federal oversight must remain independent if merit-based service is to mean anything.
A Mindful Perspective on Accountability
Mindfulness teaches us that integrity isn’t a slogan—it’s a practice. Institutions, like people, drift when self-awareness fades. The IG system was designed to notice that drift and realign it with law and ethics. As federal employees, our collective calm and clarity depend on knowing that when we “file it with the IG,” someone truly independent is listening.
Legal Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. While I am a federal employment attorney, this post does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every situation is unique, and legal outcomes depend on specific facts and circumstances.
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