Your right to know

 

March 15, 2025

Tomorrow marks the start of Sunshine Week, a time for uplifting the incredible importance of public records and transparency. You have the right to know what’s happening in the government. Sunshine Week has special significance this year. The Trump administration’s actions have undermined crucial mechanisms for oversight, including his attempt to illegaly fire nearly 20 inspectors general (IGs) across the federal government. The inspectors general system is fundamental to transparency in our government. On Tuesday, POGO Board Member and former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General John Roth testified to Congress on what is lost when the independence of these watchdogs is undermined. He spoke about the critical shortfalls in security and disaster response exposed by the DHS IG office during his tenure, and the tens of billions of dollars in waste and fraud that IGs identify every year. These problems would have continued to fester in the shadows had the watchdogs not been able to do their jobs independently, without fear of interference or reprisal. With the Trump administration making rapid, sweeping changes across the federal government, independent oversight is necessary so you can know what is happening behind the scenes and challenge what isn’t serving the public’s best interests. The attempted mass firings of watchdogs poses the serious risk that wrongdoing, corruption, fraud, and abuse will now go unexposed and unchecked. Several of the fired IGs are suing the administration in an effort to get back to work, and we are with them. We’re continuing to demand that Congress push back on these illegal firings. We need to defend the guardrails that keep the government effective, accountable, and honest. We’re demanding an open and honest government. And we need you with us. Give a gift this Sunshine Week to defend transparency and the public’s right to know. ANALYSIS The Inspector General Caucus Must Stand Up Against Trump’s Illegal Firings Congress must ensure that Trump removes inspectors general only for legitimate reasons — and only in a legal manner. Read More INVESTIGATION Musk’s Deep Financial Ties to Top Feds Revealed Office of Personnel Management political appointees linked to recent controversies and artificial intelligence efforts have significant ties to Elon Musk’s companies. Read More INVESTIGATION VA Chief May Head Watchdog Office Probing His Own Department Over a quarter of the Office of Special Counsel’s cases — many involving whistleblowers —come from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Read More QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I don’t think it’s inconsequential that removing the heads of those officers whose job it is to protect whistleblowers and prevent corruption and wrongdoing were the early targets of the Trump administration. I think what’s also important is the signal that sends to all those who are left behind.” Danielle Brian, Executive Director, on NPR OVERHEARD ONE LINERS “What strikes me is the apparent contradiction between Trump’s denials before the election that Project 2025 had anything to do with his plans, and then his appointing people who contributed to Project 2025.” Greg Williams, Director of the Center for Defense Information, in Newsweek “It seems, however, the administration took out the hatchet rather than the scalpel, and its approach will cause inefficiencies. Finding fraudulent, improper and abusive purchases takes time and improved systems, not a knee-jerk reaction to shut them down.” Scott Amey, General Counsel, in E&E News Wear Your Values Your purchase at the POGO merch store helps support our work to hold the federal government accountable. Shop now.   WANT MORE FROM POGO? Eyes on the federal government from every angle:   Paper Trail: Quick links to the news in the world of government oversight The Bunker: Military intelligence from POGO's Mark Thompson Click here to update your newsletter subscriptions.   🎧 Bad Watchdog Podcast 📺 YouTube 📱 Instagram 💸 Support our work

pogo.org The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is a nonpartisan independent watchdog that investigates and exposes waste, corruption, abuse of power, and when the government fails to serve the public or silences those who report wrongdoing. We champion reforms to achieve a more effective, ethical, and accountable federal government that safeguards constitutional principles.

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