The White House stated that US President Joe Biden fired the Social Security Commissioner on Friday after the official refused to resign, and Biden accepted the resignation of the Deputy Commissioner.
A White House official said that Biden asked Commissioner Andrew Sol to resign, and his job was terminated after he rejected the request of the Democratic president.
The official, who asked not to be named, said that Deputy Director David Black agreed to resign to discuss personnel issues.
Both officials took their positions under the leadership of Republican President Donald Trump.
Biden appointed Kilolo Kijakazi as acting commissioner, while the government is looking for permanent commissioners and deputy commissioners.
Kijakazi is currently the deputy director of the Social Security Administration responsible for retirement and disability policies.
Saul’s removal followed the legal advice of the Ministry of Justice, which held that he could be removed, although the law stipulated that he could only be dismissed for negligence or malfeasance.
The opinion-researched at the request of the White House-concluded that the reassessment due to the recent Supreme Court ruling means that Sol can be fired at will by the president.
Biden’s move immediately received the support of the Democratic senator, who will be responsible for confirming Saul’s successor. Republican lawmakers accused Biden of politicizing the institution and pointed out that Sol was confirmed in a bipartisan vote in the Senate in 2019.
Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said in a statement, “Every president should choose the person who can best realize his national vision.
“In order to realize President Biden’s bold vision of improving and expanding social security, he needs his head,” Wyden added, promising to confirm the new commissioner “as soon as possible.”
The DN.J. Rep. Bill Pascrell, who started calling for the removal of Saul and Black a few months ago, celebrated their dismissal on Friday.
“Social security is in deep trouble,” Pascrell said.
Senator Mike Clapper of Idaho, top Republican on the Finance Committee, Texas Rep. Kevin Brady, top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, released Joint Statement Called Biden’s decision “disappointing.” The two claimed that “President Biden’s party has decided to remove Commissioner Andrew Saul, and Social Security beneficiaries have suffered the most.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Mitch McConnell) called these personnel changes “an unprecedented and dangerous politicization of the Social Security Administration.”
According to its website, the agency is headquartered in Baltimore and pays benefits to approximately 64 million people, funded by payroll taxes paid by employers and employees, including retirees, children, widows and widowers. The organization has approximately 60,000 employees.
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley tweeted that in 2019, the Senate voted 77 to 16 to confirm Sol’s six-year term, which will expire in January 2025.
The union representing Social Security employees also welcomed the dismissal.
Ralph de Julius, chairman and spokesperson of the SSA General Committee and Council 220 of the American Federation of Government Employees, said that under the leadership of Saul and Black, employee morale and organization operations have been affected.
“President Biden made the right decision to pack these people appointed by Trump,” de Julius said.
Associated Press writer Mike Balsamo contributed to this report.
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