Congress looks to strengthen hand in State Department following impeachment
By Laura Kelly - 02/17/20 08:22 PM EST
High-profile dismissals of U.S. diplomats who participated in the House impeachment inquiry are raising questions about what oversight authority Congress has to push back on the president's actions.
American diplomats serve at the “pleasure of the president†but charges of political retribution, campaigns of disinformation and threats to personal safety are prompting some members of Congress to call for more concrete protections for the officials.
“Choosing who serves on your team is one thing. Kicking someone out because they're not loyal to your personal political agenda is another,†Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said during a speech at the Brookings Institution, last week.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/483347-congress-looks-to-strengthen-hand-in-state-department-following
