Biden FIRES his head of Social Security Administration who served under Trump after Democrats criticized his handling of benefits during the pandemic Andrew Saul was appointed to a six-year term by President Biden in 2019 But he was accused of dragging his feet on delivery of COVID payments On Friday, President Biden fired him as commissioner of the Social Security Administration Saul told the Washington Post he planned to report for work on Monday Republicans accused the White House of politicizing the role By Rob Crilly, Senior U.S. Political Reporter For Dailymail.Com Published: 23:10 BST, 9 July 2021 | Updated: 23:14 BST, 9 July 2021 Viewcomments President Biden on Friday fired Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul, a Trump-era holdover who had been accused of mismanaging the delivery of COVID stimulus payments and union bashing. He was asked to resign his post but was fired when he refused, according to a White House official. Republicans immediately accused Biden of politicizing the role, as the White House leveled the same charge at Saul. 'Since taking office, Commissioner Saul has undermined and politicized Social Security disability benefits, terminated the agency’s telework policy that was utilized by up to 25 percent of the agency’s workforce, not repaired S.S.A.’s relationships with relevant federal employee unions including in the context of COVID-19 workplace safety planning, reduced due process protections for benefits appeals hearings, and taken other actions that run contrary to the mission of the agency and the president’s policy agenda,' said the official. Andrew Saul was appointed to a six-year term as Social Security Administration commissioner in 2019 by President Trump. On Friday he was fired by President Biden after refusing to resign Democrats and unions have been demanding the removal of Saul for months. They celebrated news of his dismissal on Friday evening His deputy, David Black, resigned on Friday upon request. However, Saul, 74, told the Washington Post that he would report for work on Monday morning. 'I consider myself the term-protected commissioner of Social Security,' he said, added that an email asking for his resignation was the first of the administration's plans for him. 'It was a bolt of lightning no one expected,' he said. 'And right now it’s left the agency in complete turmoil.' Kilolo Kijakazi, currently the deputy commissioner for retirement and disability policy at SSA, has been appointed acting commissioner in the meantime. Saul was appointed to a six-year term in 2019 by President Trump. His removal follows a turbulent six months during which Democrats on Capitol Hill and campaigners for the disabled and elderly urged the Biden administration to fire him. He clashed with unions representing the 60,000 employees who work for the S.S.A. and was accused of dragging his feet during the roll-out of COVID stimulus payments to millions of disabled Americans by being slow to share files with the Inland Revenue Service. Republicans said Social Security beneficiaries had the most to lose from the dismissal. In a joint statement, U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo and U.S. House Ways and Means Ranking Member Kevin Brady, said: “It is disappointing that the administration is injecting politics into the agency, given that Commissioner Saul was confirmed with bipartisan approval, worked closely with both parties in Congress, and provided smooth benefit and service delivery during the largest management challenge ever faced by the agency.' Read more: Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility