1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

I am writing to you with serious concern regarding President Trump’s recent nominations to critical government watchdog positions—nominations that threaten the integrity of federal oversight, whistleblower protections, and ultimately the public’s trust in government. The nomination of Paul Ingrassia to lead the Office of Special Counsel is especially alarming. This office is responsible for protecting whistleblowers and enforcing the Hatch Act, a cornerstone of our nonpartisan civil service. Yet Mr. Ingrassia, a recent law school graduate with only months of legal experience, lacks the qualifications required by law for this vital role. His publicly expressed extreme political views and past rhetoric raise severe concerns about his impartiality and fitness to protect civil servants from retaliation. The appointment of underqualified and politically entangled individuals to the role of inspectors general across federal agencies is equally troubling. These officials are supposed to be independent investigators of waste, fraud, and abuse. Instead, some of Trump’s nominees have known histories of financial misconduct or direct ties to the agencies they would be charged with auditing—an unmistakable conflict of interest. Trump’s removal of nearly 20 inspectors general and now his attempt to replace them with partisan loyalists is a direct assault on government accountability. As watchdog groups and legal experts have warned, this strategy turns oversight roles into political weapons rather than protections for ethical governance. Where is your voice in all this? Your silence amounts to complicity. These moves undermine the rule of law, endanger whistleblowers, and erode the foundations of a transparent, accountable government. I urge you to speak out publicly and forcefully against these dangerous nominations, oppose their confirmations, and defend the independence of our government watchdogs. This is not about party. It’s about preserving democratic norms and ensuring the government works for the people—not just for those in power.