Acting State Department IG Will Resign Effective Friday

The State Department acting inspector general installed after President Trump’s controversial firing of IG Steve Linick in May will resign effective on Friday.

Amb. Stephen Akard became acting IG after the president fired Linick at the request of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Pompeo said Linick was a “bad actor” who was not working to further the mission of the department, but it was also revealed that Linick’s office was looking into Pompeo’s potential misuse of taxpayer funds. Akard’s departure is the latest in a series of IG shakeups over the last few months. His deputy Diana R. Shaw will become the acting IG.

"Ambassador Stephen J. Akard, the State Department’s acting inspector general and the director of the Office of Foreign Missions, has announced he is returning to the private sector after years of public service,” said a State Department spokesperson. “We appreciate his dedication to the department and to our country.”

Before becoming acting IG, Akard was the director of the Office of Foreign Missions and held other senior positions in the State Department. He also worked with then Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as leader of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. “His ties to Pence and the fact that he maintained his role as the head of the State Department's Office of Foreign Missions when he went over to lead the State IG's office rankled diplomats, who saw him as a part of the politicization of the State Department,” according to CNN. 

Earlier this week, top House Democrats announced they issued subpoenas for State Department officials in their investigation into Linick’s firing. 

“The administration continues to cover up the real reasons for Mr. Linick’s firing by stonewalling the committees’ investigation and refusing to engage in good faith,” the Democrats said. “That stonewalling has made today’s subpoenas necessary, and the committees will continue to pursue this investigation to uncover the truth that the American people deserve.” 

The State Department IG office did not immediately respond to Government Executive for comment.