This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/oct/01/mike-pompeo-trump-impeachment-inquiry-democrats-ukraine
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Impeachment inquiry: Pompeo accuses Democrats of 'bullying' and rebuffs key demand | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Donald Trump’s administration has shown its intent to defy the law and resist an impeachment inquiry by refusing to comply with congressional hearings. | Donald Trump’s administration has shown its intent to defy the law and resist an impeachment inquiry by refusing to comply with congressional hearings. |
| William Barr discussed FBI Russia inquiry with UK intelligence | |
| On Tuesday, secretary of state Mike Pompeo rejected demands from House Democrats for five current and former state department officials to testify before committees investigating the president’s attempts to push Ukraine to dig up dirt on a political rival. | On Tuesday, secretary of state Mike Pompeo rejected demands from House Democrats for five current and former state department officials to testify before committees investigating the president’s attempts to push Ukraine to dig up dirt on a political rival. |
| Pompeo wrote to the House foreign affairs committee, accusing Democrats of “an attempt to intimidate, bully, and treat improperly” the officials. The requested dates are “not feasible”, he said. | |
| The speed of the investigation raises “significant legal and procedural concerns”, Pompeo wrote. “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.” | The speed of the investigation raises “significant legal and procedural concerns”, Pompeo wrote. “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.” |
| After Democrats announced an impeachment inquiry last week, the foreign affairs, intelligence and oversight committees have wasted little time in seeking documents and testimonies. | |
| Committee chairs Eliot Engel, Adam Schiff and Elijah Cummings dismissed Pompeo’s criticisms. | |
| “Any effort to intimidate witnesses or prevent them from talking with Congress – including state department employees – is illegal and will constitute evidence of obstruction of the impeachment inquiry,” they said in a joint statement. | |
| “In response, Congress may infer from this obstruction that any withheld documents and testimony would reveal information that corroborates the whistleblower complaint.” | |
| This is the same Pompeo who removed a career ambassador in Ukraine, and stood by as she was subject to smears | This is the same Pompeo who removed a career ambassador in Ukraine, and stood by as she was subject to smears |
| Four of the five witnesses summoned are state department employees and can be prevented from appearing. They include Marie Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine, who was withdrawn from her post in May with Pompeo’s consent after she was attacked in the rightwing press. She is currently on sabbatical at Georgetown University. | |
| The only exception is Kurt Volker, the former special envoy on Ukraine who was acting as a part-time volunteer and resigned on Friday. He is due to testify before House committees on Thursday. It is unclear whether he intends to appear. | The only exception is Kurt Volker, the former special envoy on Ukraine who was acting as a part-time volunteer and resigned on Friday. He is due to testify before House committees on Thursday. It is unclear whether he intends to appear. |
| Pompeo was assailed by former officials who saw hypocrisy in his expressions of concern over intimidation of foreign service officers. As a congressman, Pompeo regularly cross-examined diplomats over the 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, in an attempt to show that Hillary Clinton had been negligent as secretary of state. | Pompeo was assailed by former officials who saw hypocrisy in his expressions of concern over intimidation of foreign service officers. As a congressman, Pompeo regularly cross-examined diplomats over the 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, in an attempt to show that Hillary Clinton had been negligent as secretary of state. |
| State department employees are currently being subjected to questioning over emails they sent to Clinton’s private server when she was in office. According to the Washington Post, the employees have been informed that the emails have been classified retroactively and therefore could represent security violations. | State department employees are currently being subjected to questioning over emails they sent to Clinton’s private server when she was in office. According to the Washington Post, the employees have been informed that the emails have been classified retroactively and therefore could represent security violations. |
| Jeffrey Prescott, a former special White House assistant to Barack Obama, said on Twitter: “This is the same Pompeo who removed a career ambassador from her post in Ukraine, and stood by as she was subject to smears.” | Jeffrey Prescott, a former special White House assistant to Barack Obama, said on Twitter: “This is the same Pompeo who removed a career ambassador from her post in Ukraine, and stood by as she was subject to smears.” |
| The White House has stonewalled numerous congressional investigations. Last month it ordered Rob Porter, the ex-White House staff secretary, and Rick Dearborn, who was deputy chief of staff, to defy subpoenas regarding special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. Analysts suggest Trump sees little downside in brazen displays of impunity. | The White House has stonewalled numerous congressional investigations. Last month it ordered Rob Porter, the ex-White House staff secretary, and Rick Dearborn, who was deputy chief of staff, to defy subpoenas regarding special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. Analysts suggest Trump sees little downside in brazen displays of impunity. |
| In issuing a separate subpoena last week as part of the impeachment inquiry, the chairmen of three committees made it clear stonewalling would be considered obstruction of Congress. | In issuing a separate subpoena last week as part of the impeachment inquiry, the chairmen of three committees made it clear stonewalling would be considered obstruction of Congress. |
| The expanding Ukraine scandal is threatening to engulf one of the president’s most loyal enforcers. Pompeo received a subpoena from the committees to turn over documents related to the Ukraine investigation. He said he would respond by the deadline of 4 October. | The expanding Ukraine scandal is threatening to engulf one of the president’s most loyal enforcers. Pompeo received a subpoena from the committees to turn over documents related to the Ukraine investigation. He said he would respond by the deadline of 4 October. |
| It also emerged this week that Pompeo participated in the July phone call in which Trump, having frozen military aid, pressed Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate baseless allegations against former vice-president Joe Biden and his son Hunter. | It also emerged this week that Pompeo participated in the July phone call in which Trump, having frozen military aid, pressed Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate baseless allegations against former vice-president Joe Biden and his son Hunter. |
| The three committee chairs said on Tuesday that if the report of Pompeo being on the call is true, he “is now a fact witness in the House impeachment inquiry. He should immediately cease intimidating department witnesses in order to protect himself and the president”. | |
| The secretary of state began a four-nation tour of Europe on Tuesday in Italy. He was accompanied by former White House adviser Sebastian Gorka, who has a radio show and is travelling as a member of the press. Gorka is a hardline nationalist and former editor for the far-right Breitbart News. He has vehemently denounced the impeachment inquiry. | The secretary of state began a four-nation tour of Europe on Tuesday in Italy. He was accompanied by former White House adviser Sebastian Gorka, who has a radio show and is travelling as a member of the press. Gorka is a hardline nationalist and former editor for the far-right Breitbart News. He has vehemently denounced the impeachment inquiry. |
| Trump is also defying political norms by accusing opponents of treason and making threats to the intelligence community whistleblower who raised concerns about the Zelenskiy call. | Trump is also defying political norms by accusing opponents of treason and making threats to the intelligence community whistleblower who raised concerns about the Zelenskiy call. |
| In yet another round of volatile tweets on Tuesday, Trump wondered why he is not “entitled to interview [and] learn everything about” the whistleblower, whose identity is protected by law. | In yet another round of volatile tweets on Tuesday, Trump wondered why he is not “entitled to interview [and] learn everything about” the whistleblower, whose identity is protected by law. |
| The president also repeated his claim that the July call was “PERFECT”, adding: “This is just another Fake News Media, together with their partner, the Democrat Party, HOAX!” | The president also repeated his claim that the July call was “PERFECT”, adding: “This is just another Fake News Media, together with their partner, the Democrat Party, HOAX!” |
| But Republican senator Chuck Grassley told reporters the whistleblower “ought to be heard out and protected” and requests for confidentiality should be respected. | But Republican senator Chuck Grassley told reporters the whistleblower “ought to be heard out and protected” and requests for confidentiality should be respected. |
| Trump, the whistleblower and the comic: key players in the Ukraine scandal | |
| The crisis has also cast a harsh spotlight on attorney general William Barr. The Washington Post revealed that he held private meetings overseas with foreign intelligence officials, seeking their help in a justice department investigation Trump hopes will undermine his own intelligence agencies’ conclusions about Russian interference in the 2016 election. | The crisis has also cast a harsh spotlight on attorney general William Barr. The Washington Post revealed that he held private meetings overseas with foreign intelligence officials, seeking their help in a justice department investigation Trump hopes will undermine his own intelligence agencies’ conclusions about Russian interference in the 2016 election. |
| The countries concerned were Britain, Australia and Italy. | The countries concerned were Britain, Australia and Italy. |
| Republican senator Lindsey Graham defended the strategy. | Republican senator Lindsey Graham defended the strategy. |
| “Barr should be talking to Australia,” he told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “He should be talking to Italy. He should be talking to the UK to find out if their intelligence services worked with our intelligence services improperly to open up a counterintelligence investigation of Trump’s campaign. | “Barr should be talking to Australia,” he told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “He should be talking to Italy. He should be talking to the UK to find out if their intelligence services worked with our intelligence services improperly to open up a counterintelligence investigation of Trump’s campaign. |
| “If he’s not doing that he’s not doing his job. So I’m going to write a letter to all three countries … asking them to cooperate with Barr.” | “If he’s not doing that he’s not doing his job. So I’m going to write a letter to all three countries … asking them to cooperate with Barr.” |
| Richard Painter, a former chief White House ethics lawyer under George W Bush, tweeted: “Impeach Barr and Pompeo after impeaching @realDonaldTrump.” | Richard Painter, a former chief White House ethics lawyer under George W Bush, tweeted: “Impeach Barr and Pompeo after impeaching @realDonaldTrump.” |
| Trump impeachment inquiry | Trump impeachment inquiry |
| Mike Pompeo | Mike Pompeo |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| Ukraine | Ukraine |
| US foreign policy | |
| Europe | Europe |
| Democrats | |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |