President Donald Trump has terminated three Democratic members from the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, raising concerns about the agency’s ability to function effectively.
At a Glance
- Trump fired all three Democrats on the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board
- The board now has only one Republican member, lacking a quorum for new investigations
- Terminated members expressed distress over the attack on the agency’s independence
- The move follows Trump’s pattern of removing inspectors general from federal agencies
- New board members must come from different political parties, as per the 9/11 Commission Act
Trump’s Decision Shakes Oversight Board
President Donald Trump has removed three Democratic members from the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) – and Dems really aren’t happy about it. The terminated members include chair Sharon Bradford Franklin and commissioners Ed Felten and Travis LeBlanc. This decision follows Trump’s threat to fire the Democrats if they did not resign by January 24.
The PCLOB, originally comprised of five members, now struggles with only one Republican member, Beth Williams. This drastic reduction in membership raises significant concerns about the board’s ability to oversee U.S. counterterrorism efforts effectively and maintain a balance between national security and individual rights.
The terminations have left the PCLOB without the necessary quorum to initiate new investigations or reports. Too bad! This limitation severely hampers the board’s ability to fulfill its watchdog role in privacy and civil liberties matters related to national security. While the board can continue current projects and maintain its staff, the lack of a full roster threatens its overall effectiveness.
“Today, I regret that the Board’s partisan shift will ultimately undermine not only the mission of the agency, but public trust and confidence in the ability of the government to honor privacy rights, respect civil liberties, honestly inform the public, and follow the law,” Travis LeBlanc said.
Partisan shift, they say. Coming from the most partisan people in possibly American history…
Trump’s decision to remove the Democratic members from the PCLOB is not an isolated incident. It follows a pattern of similar actions taken by the President, including the firing of at least a dozen inspectors general at various federal agencies.
He’s cleaning house.
This trend has raised concerns about the erosion of independent oversight within the government.
“I am extremely distressed by the attack on our agency’s independence and the fact that our agency will now go into a sub-quorum period,” Sharon Bradford Franklin said.
The 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 stipulates that new board members must come from different political parties, ensuring a bipartisan approach to oversight. This requirement presents a challenge for the Trump administration in reconstituting the board while maintaining political balance. The current situation leaves the PCLOB in a state of limbo, potentially hindering its ability to address critical privacy and civil liberties issues in the near future.
Perhaps Trump has some normal Democrats in mind to replace them.