After President Joe Biden fired Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul July 9, 2021 Saul told news outlets he was not leaving and planned to work remotely on Monday, July 12, but that did not work out how Saul planned.
In a story posted by CNN, it was reported that they agency was taking steps to remove Saul’s access to Social Security’s systems that would make it impossible for Saul to return to work.
“As with any employment termination, the government has taken steps to off-board Andrew Saul as we would any other former employee,” an administration official said in the CNN story.
Social Security wasted no time moving on from Saul. Biden’s choice to replace Saul as the new acting commissioner for Social Security, Kilolo Kijakazi, was already listed as the head of the agency on Social Security’s website where organizational charts are displayed.
Although Saul claimed that he was the term-protected commissioner of Social Security and could not be removed, the Biden Administration sought out a legal opinion and it was determined Biden had the right to remove Saul. Prior to firing Saul, Biden asked Saul and David Black, Saul’s deputy commissioner, for their resignations, but only Black complied as Saul refused to resign.
This seemed like a last ditch effort by Saul to remain in the spotlight, but even he must know he has no power to remain in the position. Saul, like other board and commission appointees from the Trump administration, who were also removed when Biden came into office, have remained defiant, but like it or not they are gone. It is likely now that Saul will fade into the background as the days go by and Social Security gets back to business and begins to implement a post-COVID-19 reopening plan.
