Watchdog keeping checks on Trump retribution tour abruptly fired

President Donald Trump has dismissed the inspector general in charge of the Federal Housing Finance Agency — a government agency that has become controversial due to Trump's appointee in the role lobbing a series of questionable bank fraud allegations at various critics and opponents of the president.

According to Reuters, "The ouster of Joe Allen, FHFA's acting inspector general, follows the agency's director, Bill Pulte, becoming an outspoken voice in support of the Trump administration."

Allegations from Pulte triggered a criminal indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James, for allegedly misrepresenting the purpose of a second home to a mortgage lender. The move is widely seen as retribution for James' successful prosecution of Trump on fraud charges.

James has denied any wrongdoing, and the federal prosecutor Trump installed to bring the case, Lindsey Halligan, has made a series of blunders that have left many legal experts doubtful the case will even make it to trial.

"Across the government, the Trump administration has so far fired or reassigned close to two dozen agency watchdogs, who police waste, fraud and abuse. It has also defunded the group that supervises those offices," the report continued.

Trump has already come under heavy criticism for the mass dismissal of inspectors general from some lawmakers in his own party, as well as federal judges, given he skipped the legal requirement to give advance notice to Congress.