Leadership change required as Government Accountability Office declares 2019 Chad Wolf and Ken Cuccinelli appointments illegal.
(Photo credit: NBC News. With apologies to this gentleman, no photo of Q is available)
President Donald Trump made a surprise announcement via Twitter early this morning indicating he has asked Chad Wolf to step down as the acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in the wake of a Government Accountability Office finding of improper succession management.
"The acting secretary of homeland security, Chad F. Wolf, and his deputy, Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, were appointed to their posts in violation of federal law, Congress’s watchdog determined." (New York Times)
In his tweet, Trump said he was complying with the GAO ruling and replacing Wolf with "Q," the amorphous leader of the QAnon conspiracy theory movement. "Based on the GAO ruling that GREAT AMERICANS Chad Wolf and Ken Cuccinelli are serving illegally in their Homeland Security jobs, I have appointed the famous Q as the new acting director! Got to follow the law. Q has a tremendous following and is respected by all American Patriots. I know Q is anonimas (sic) but in this work-at-home environment that shouldn’t be a problem. Thanks Q! Keeping America Great!"
According to an August 14 New York Times report, Wolf's appointment violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, which dictates the correct succession options when senior officials resign. The Times story said the improper appointments of Wolf and Cuccinelli began after Kirstjen Nielsen was forced out as Homeland Security chief in April 2019.
“Because the incorrect official assumed the title of acting secretary at that time, subsequent amendments to the order of succession made by that official were invalid,” the Government Accountability Office said on Friday. The agency said that Mr. Wolf and Mr. Cuccinelli “are serving under an invalid order of succession.”
When asked about the appointment of Q at a Friday White House press event, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said, "The President is our law-and-order leader. He wants to comply with the GAO ruling and therefore is making this change at Homeland Security. Mr. or Ms. Q is already believed to be working in the White House and is therefore aligned with President Trump's policy priorities. This makes him a natural choice for this important national security position."
McEnany was pressed by Fox News reporter John David Roberts about the accountability and transparency issues of appointing an anonymous person to run Homeland Security, to which she replied, "Mr. Q has obviously been well-vetted by the public as evidenced by his growing support across a broad spectrum of Americans."
McEnany added, "We know he works in the West Wing, so he can't really be completely anonymous. His positions on critical issues are clearly articulated so there shouldn't be any surprises in how he implements the administration's policies in reducing illegal immigration, dealing with demonstrators, or breaking up Hollywood pedophile rings."
It is unclear whether the President has actually met with Q for an interview or just exchanged chat messages on the 8kun dark Internet site where QAnon posts reside.
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