Secretary of State Mike Pompeo brushed off a question about whether the impeachment inquiry had damaged his image and leadership at the State Department, suggesting it was “noise” and again accused Congress of unprofessional behavior.
“I don’t think about that stuff. I work hard. I do the right thing as best I can tell every day. I try to make sure my team is similarly focused, ”Pompeo toldThe Wichita Eagleon Thursday . “You all talk about this noise an awful lot, that you all are fixated on this. The State Department you should know is not. ”
Pompeo also said that the impeachment inquiry had not changed his consideration of a Senate run, saying he is still focused on his “mission set” at the State Department.
Pompeo refused to answer questions about whether he relayed Ukraine ambassador Bill Taylor’s concerns about the withholding of Ukraine military assistance to the President. Asked what he did with the cable Taylor testified he sent on Aug. 29, Pompeo said, “I’m not going to talk about [the] inquiry this morning.”
“So did you relay his concerns to the president?” Pompeo was asked.
“Look, I came here today to talk about workforce development. I came here today to talk about the great things that are going on here in Kansas, ”he responded. “This inquiry will proceed. Congress will perform its oversight function, the State Department will continue to do all of the things that were required to do under the law and the Constitution. ”
“We understand their role. I was a member of Congress. I think it’s absolutely important that they perform their function in a way that is professional. I wish that they were doing that. Unfortunately, today, they are not, ”Pompeo continued.
The US secretary of state, noting that they are “not allowed to have State Department officials in the hearing room,” claimed he gets “ notes from people in Kansas all the time saying it’s not right, they think it’s unfair too. ”
“ I think the American people understand that. I hope that they’ll proceed in a way that is transparent and fair. And then the inquiry will wrap up, ”he said.
Asked whether the State Department would comply with a Wednesday court order on turning over communications with Rudy Giuliani within 30 days, Pompeo claimed he hadn’t seen the ruling.
“I saw a headline. I haven’t seen the ruling. But I can assure the American people that their State Department always complies with everything we’re required to do under the law. There’s no reason to think we would do any different there, ”he said.
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