WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley (R) is digging into why President Trump recently fired two inspectors general.
On Friday, Trump announced he would be firing Steve Linick, the acting State Department inspector general.
ABC News reports Linick had opened an investigation into whether or not Sec. of State Mike Pompeo had misused staff for personal errands, including dog walking and picking up dry cleaning. Linick was also investigating Trump's use of emergency authority to supply weapons to Saudi Arabia in 2019.
Then on Monday, Grassley sent a letter to the president asking for an answer into why Trump didn't give Congress the 30 day notice it requires before removing an inspector general.
"To guard them [inspectors general] from unwarranted political attacks from all sides, including from officials that they are duty bound to critique, Congress provided IGs with some additional protections. One of those is the requirement that the President provide notice and explanation to Congress 30 days before the removal of an IG," his letter said.
READ: Grassley's full letter to President Trump
Grassley isn't questioning the firing itself, but he is questioning whether or not the president is following the law.
"He's supposed to notify us 30 days ahead of time so Congress can get the rationale and find out if it's legitimate and give our point of view on it," Grassley said.
Grassley and other lawmakers wrote a bipartisan letter to Trump after he fired a different watchdog, Michael Atkinson. Atkinson was looking into the whistleblower complaint that helped to initiate the House of Representatives impeachment of Trump.
Grassley said he hasn't received an official response to that letter.