https://x.com/donaldrusso994/status/1937609058854314210
Donald Russo
@donaldrusso994
Grok confirms that @LeaderJohnThune
can fire parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough. Please REPOST to send this message to Thune.
Republicans control the Senate and the House and the White House. Who gets to fire Elizabeth MacDonough?
Answer by Grok, expand to see full conversation
Given that Republicans currently control the Senate, the House, and the White House as of June 24, 2025, the authority to fire Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate Parliamentarian, lies with the Senate majority leader. According to the structure outlined in the web results, particularly from the "Parliamentarian of the United States Senate - Wikipedia" and "Senate Parliamentarian - Ballotpedia" pages, the parliamentarian is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Senate majority leader. This means that the current Senate Majority Leader, John Thune (R-SD), who is also tagged in the X post you highlighted, has the power to dismiss her.
Historically, this authority has been exercised. For example, in 2001, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R) fired Parliamentarian Robert Dove over a procedural dispute regarding the Byrd Rule and budget reconciliation. The role is not fixed-term, and the majority leader can replace the parliamentarian at their discretion, though such actions are rare and often controversial due to the parliamentarian's nonpartisan advisory role.
The White House, despite its Republican control under President Donald Trump, does not have direct authority over MacDonough's position, though the web result from "SCOOP: White House Pressures Thune to Fire Senate Parliamentarian" indicates it can exert political pressure on Thune to take action. Ultimately, the decision rests with Thune, reflecting the Senate's internal governance structure.
Last edited
9:29 AM · Jun 24, 2025
from Wilson, PA
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