Since President Joe Biden removed Andrew Saul as Social Security’s commissioner the former commissioner has been relatively quiet even though he initially claimed that Biden did not have the authority to fire him. Saul is now speaking up and recently wrote an op ed that was published by the Wall Street Journal. In it, Saul claimed that it was partisan employee unions that were responsible for his ousting.
There is no doubt Social Security employee unions were no fan of Saul and put pressure on the Biden Administration to remove him, but Saul’s claim that he ran the administration in a nonpartisan fashion is simply not true. Saul made it clear he was no fan of the unions and under his leadership Social Security made several moves that made it even more difficult to qualify for Social Security disability benefits. Below is a portion of what Saul wrote in the Wall Street Journal. To view the entire op ed click here.
The name of the Social Security Administration’s commissioner isn’t one most Americans would recognize. This is largely by design. Congress, presidents from both parties, and previous commissioners have made it a point to ensure the commissioner’s role remains nonpartisan. That is why President Biden’s decision to fire me is so unsettling. I was only two years into my six-year term as SSA commissioner. By targeting me, the administration has politicized the SSA.
The Social Security Independence and Program Improvements Act of
Since President Joe Biden removed Andrew Saul as Social Security’s commissioner the former commissioner has been relatively quiet even though he initially claimed that Biden did not have the authority to fire him. Saul is now speaking up and recently wrote an op ed that was published by the Wall Street Journal. In it, Saul claimed that it was partisan employee unions that were responsible for his ousting.
There is no doubt Social Security employee unions were no fan of Saul and put pressure on the Biden Administration to remove him, but Saul’s claim that he ran the administration in a nonpartisan fashion is simply not true. Saul made it clear he was no fan of the unions and under his leadership Social Security made several moves that made it even more difficult to qualify for Social Security disability benefits. Below is a portion of what Saul wrote in the Wall Street Journal. To view the entire op ed click here.
The name of the Social Security Administration’s commissioner isn’t one most Americans would recognize. This is largely by design. Congress, presidents from both parties, and previous commissioners have made it a point to ensure the commissioner’s role remains nonpartisan. That is why President Biden’s decision to fire me is so unsettling. I was only two years into my six-year term as SSA commissioner. By targeting me, the administration has politicized the SSA.
The Social Security Independence and Program Improvements Act of 1994 brought the SSA out from under the Department of Health and Human Services and made it an independent agency. The law established that an SSA commissioner “may be removed from office only pursuant to a finding by the president of neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.” The email asking for my resignation gave no reason for termination.
Throughout my career, I have worked under both Democratic and Republican administrations to serve the American people. Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama trusted me to serve as chairman of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board.
SSA commissioners, given their term length, have served different administrations in the past. Following his 2007 appointment by Mr. Bush, Commissioner Michael Astrue served through Mr. Obama’s first term and into his second. Mr. Biden should remember this well since he was vice president at the time.
1994 brought the SSA out from under the Department of Health and Human Services and made it an independent agency. The law established that an SSA commissioner “may be removed from office only pursuant to a finding by the president of neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.” The email asking for my resignation gave no reason for termination.
Throughout my career, I have worked under both Democratic and Republican administrations to serve the American people. Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama trusted me to serve as chairman of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board.
SSA commissioners, given their term length, have served different administrations in the past. Following his 2007 appointment by Mr. Bush, Commissioner Michael Astrue served through Mr. Obama’s first term and into his second. Mr. Biden should remember this well since he was vice president at the time.
