Pompeo Aggressively Responds to House Subpoena: ‘An Attempt to Intimidate, Bully’, ‘I Will Not Tolerate Such Tactics’

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo aggressively rejected complete cooperation with a subpoena issued by Congress last week, in a letter and statement he released on Tuesday in which he blasted it as an attempt to “intimidate” and saying he would “not tolerate such tactics.”

The subpoena to appear before Congress, signed by Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Eliot Engel (D-NY), and Elijah Cummings (D-MD), was both for documents and depositions relating to the Trump-Ukraine call, as part of the overall House impeachment inquiry.

Pompeo on Tuesday accused the Democrats of acting improperly and attempting to intimidate State Department officials. And he said that the timeframe and parameters are “not feasible.”

“I am concerned with aspects of your request … that can be understood only as an attempt to intimidate, bully, and treat improperly the distinguished professionals of the Department of State, including several career Foreign Service Officers, whom the committee is now targeting,” the letter reads. “I have also been made aware that Committee staff has been sending intimidating communications to be channeled through the Bureau of Legislative affairs, as is customary.”

“Let me be clear: I will not tolerate such tactics, and I will use all the means at my disposal to prevent and expose any attempts to intimidate the dedicated professionals whom I am proud to leand serve alongside at the Department of State,” wrote Pompeo.

Addressing the letter from the three committee chairs directing Pompeo to arrange depositions, Pompeo stated that it “raises fundamental legal questions related to the authority of the Committee to compel an appearance for a deposition solely by virtue of these letters.”

The letter from the three committee chairs was directed specifically from the Committee on Foreign Affairs and chairman Rep. Engel, which committee issued the subpoena in cooperation with House Intelligence (Schiff) and Oversight (Cummings).

He also listed the extent of the compliance requested as onerous, particularly with regard to the timeline, as well as the need for individual officials to prepare or even obtain counsel. “The proposed dates for the depositions do not provide adequate time for the Deaprtment and its employees to appropriately prepare,” he said.

He addressed that again as a question of the legal authority. “The proposed dates “[Y]ou have asserted that failure by Department officials to meet your demonstrably inadequate timeline for voluntary appearances ‘shall constitute evidence of obstruction.’ There is no legal basis for such a threat,” wrote Pompeo.

“Based on the profound procedural and legal deficincies above, the Committee’s requested dates for depositions are not feasible,” he concluded. “The Department will be in further contact with the Committee in the near future as we obtain further clarity on these matters.”

In other words, they don’t intend to cooperate, at least not inasmuch as the House committees are currently intending it be scheduled and arranged.