Since the Ukraine scandal exploded over the last week, Mike Pompeo’s name has been everywhere. It’s been in Rudy Giuliani’s media appearances, where the secretary of state has been named as an instigator of Giuliani’s trips to lean on Ukrainian officials. And it’s been in stories that Pompeo begged Trump not to release the incriminating “transcript” that was made public on Wednesday. But now Pompeo’s name is about to feature even more prominently, as three House committees have subpoenaed him to appear in hearings connected to the impeachment inquiry.
Not only are the committees demanding Pompeo’s appearance, but they’re demanding that he turn over documents that were originally subpoenaed on Sept. 9. Pompeo ignored that congressional subpoena, just as Trump staffers have ignored dozens of others. If he fails to comply this time, the results could be much swifter and more severe than a congressional reprimand.
The letter to Pompeo, co-signed by Reps. Eliot Engel, Adam Schiff, and Elijah Cummings, doesn’t pull any punches. In fact, it’s loaded with punches.
Your actions are all the more troubling given that, since our September 9 request, it has become clear that multiple State Department officials have direct knowledge of the subject matter of the House’s impeachment inquiry.
The letter connects the role that Giuliani played, both before and after the phone call in July between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in pressuring Ukrainian officials and the fact that State Department officials not only had knowledge of his travels, but, according to Giuliani, actually directed his actions. There’s no doubt the committees will want to know what role Pompeo played in directing and assisting Giuliani, in making available or contacting Ukrainian officials, in terminating the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, in the call with Zelensky, and in the cover-up of that call.
Both Pompeo and his documents are required to appear by Oct. 4.