The Inspector General for the State Department, Steve Linick, is reported by many outlets to have requested an “urgent” meeting with House and Senate committee staffers on Wednesday. The subject is reported to be Ukraine, which is the focus of the unofficial Democrat-led House impeachment investigation of President Trump. The “urgent” meeting comes as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is battling Congress about the investigation while overseas in Europe on official business.
Secretary of State Pompeo.
The State Department’s inspector general is expected to give an “urgent” briefing to staffers from several House and Senate committees on Wednesday afternoon about documents obtained from the department’s Office of the Legal Adviser related to the State Department and Ukraine, sources familiar with the planned briefing told ABC News.
Details of the briefing, requested by Steve Linick, the inspector general at State, remain unknown. Linick is expected to meet with congressional staff in a secure location on Capitol Hill…
Fox News Congressional reporter Chad Pergam also reported the meeting:
Fox confirms that State Dept IG Steve Linick will come to CapHill to talk to Hse/Senate Cmtes about Ukraine. There is tension between Dems/State Dept about providing witnesses for testimony/documents as part of impeachment probe
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 1, 2019
CNN’s Shimon Prokupecz quoted a Hill staffer as saying the IG’s request as, “highly unusual and cryptically worded.”
CNN: State Dept inspector general has requested an urgent Hill briefing with relevant committees tomorrow related to Ukraine. The email that went to staff suggested it was urgent. A Congressional aid described the State IG’s request as “highly unusual and cryptically worded.”
— Shimon Prokupecz (@ShimonPro) October 1, 2019
NBC’s Andrea Mitchell explained some of the back and forth with State and the Hill, “.@SecPompeo letter objecting to testimony by @StateDept officials delays appearance by former Ambassador to Ukraine Masha Yovanovitch tomorrow til next week. She is still an active foreign service officer under his authority. Former envoy Kurt Volker quit and will testify thurs”
.@SecPompeo letter objecting to testimony by @StateDept officials delays appearance by former Ambassador to Ukraine Masha Yovanovitch tomorrow til next week. She is still an active foreign service officer under his authority. Former envoy Kurt Volker quit and will testify thurs
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) October 1, 2019
“Rebellion @StateDept? Inspector General asks House committees for urgent meeting to discuss #Ukraine documents ahead of Thursday’s deposition with former Envoy Kurt Volker despite @SecPompeo letter claiming democrats are bullying his aides”
Rebellion @StateDept? Inspector General asks House committees for urgent meeting to discuss #Ukraine documents ahead of Thursday's deposition with former Envoy Kurt Volker despite @SecPompeo letter claiming democrats are bullying his aides
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) October 1, 2019
Earlier Tuesday, Pompeo released a letter accusing the Democrat-led House Foreign Affairs Committee of bullying State workers, “I’m concerned with aspects of the Committee’s request that can be understood only as an attempt to intimidate, bully, & treat improperly the distinguished professionals of the Department of State, including several career FSOs…Let me be clear: I will not tolerate such tactics, and I will use all means at my disposal to prevent and expose any attempts to intimidate the dedicated professionals whom I am proud to lead and serve alongside at the Department of State.”
I’m concerned with aspects of the Committee’s request that can be understood only as an attempt to intimidate, bully, & treat improperly the distinguished professionals of the Department of State, including several career FSOs. pic.twitter.com/QRtMaXlhQM
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) October 1, 2019
Let me be clear: I will not tolerate such tactics, and I will use all means at my disposal to prevent and expose any attempts to intimidate the dedicated professionals whom I am proud to lead and serve alongside at the Department of State.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) October 1, 2019
