Wyden Condemns Reported Ousters by Trump at Privacy Board
President Donald Trump’s attempt to remove Democratic members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board would “kneecap” a key independent watchdog on government surveillance, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said in a statement Wednesday. The White House reportedly told the PCLOB’s three Democratic members -- Chair Sharon Bradford Franklin, Ed Felten and Travis LeBlanc -- to resign or be fired by Thursday.
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“Donald Trump promised to weaponize the government against his enemies and is installing MAGA loyalists and extreme partisans at intelligence agencies and the FBI,” said Wyden. “By purging the Democratic members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, Trump is kneecapping one of the only independent watchdogs over government surveillance who could alert Congress and the public about surveillance abuses by his administration.”
The PCLOB and the White House didn’t comment Thursday.