President Donald Trump is reportedly seeking to ax most of the members of an internal watchdog agency that flags potential privacy violations by federal surveillance programs—including the government's warrantless electronic communication spying scheme.
Three members of the five-person Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board received letters this week telling them to resign or prepare to be fired by Thursday, The New York Times reports. Democratic presidents appointed the three individuals targeted for termination, and their departure would mean the board does not have a sufficient quorum to operate.
The lone Republican-appointed member of the board has not been asked to resign, the Times notes. The fifth seat on the board is currently vacant.
