A House Democrat has opened an investigation into Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s controversial decision to address the Republican National Convention.
‘Senate-confirmed Presidential appointees may not even attend a political party convention’ In a letter to Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun on Tuesday, Castro noted, “It is highly unusual, and likely unprecedented, for a sitting Secretary of State to speak at a partisan convention for either of the political parties. It appears that it may also be illegal.” The Texas Democrat cited the Hatch Act and State Department guidance — including a December memo from the State Department’s Office of the Legal Adviser that “Senate-confirmed Presidential appointees may not even attend a political party convention or convention-related event.” “In furtherance of the constitutionally mandated obligation to conduct oversight of the State Department, as well as to determine whether and legislative action is necessary, to address this matter, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations intends to examine this issue carefully,” Castro wrote. Pompeo recorded his speech, which is slated to air at the convention Tuesday, while in Jerusalem on an official State Department trip to the Middle East and North Africa. A State Department spokesperson and another source familiar with the situation defended the move Sunday by saying Pompeo would deliver the remarks in his personal capacity and that no taxpayer funds would be used. The source said the speech was cleared through Pompeo’s personal lawyers, State Department and White House lawyers, and RNC lawyers. Castro called for the second-highest ranking diplomat to arrange for a briefing and provide written answers by September 1 to a number of questions related to that legal authorization, the use of State Department resources and staff, the planning and itinerary of Pompeo’s official trip to the region, and whether Biegun will be making referrals to the department’s inspector general or the Office of the Special Counsel, which investigates Hatch Act violations.
