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When on the first Friday night of his second term, President Donald Trump fired 19 federal inspectors general without the required notice to Congress, experts spoke out about the critical need for independence for IGs.

There has otherwise been a muted response: Litigation to overturn the firings is stalled, Congress has failed to effectively step up, and outrage in the press and among the public has been limited. More importantly, inspectors general ourselves have failed to seize upon the opportunity to articulate a vision of effective government corruption fighting for the future.

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An inspector general’s traditional tools of oversight audits, public reports and criminal investigations are insufficient unless they are seen to be protecting........

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