Pompeo reveals findings of investigation into Kansas travel cleared him of violations
The State Department revealed on Thursday that the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) concluded an investigation in late January into whether Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s 2019 trips to Kansas violated federal rules barring partisan political activity on government time.
The OSC concluded that Pompeo had not abused his office after examining four trips to his home state – three in an official capacity and one on personal time, but all accompanied by official personnel – amid reports in The Kansas City Star, among other outlets, that he was considering a run for an open Senate seat in Kansas.
The investigation examined these reports as well as his travel, and wrote to Pompeo on January 21, two weeks after the secretary told Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of his intentions to stay out of the race.
Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, asked for an investigation in October of 2019, several months before Pompeo’s meeting with McConnell.
The letter said the agency “cannot conclude that you are currently a candidate in the 2020 Senate election in Kansas. OSC has nevertheless provided you with information about the Hatch Act to ensure that you are aware of your obligations under the law.”
The Hatch Act is the law that regulates partisan activity by federal officials.
State Department officials released the letter Thursday afternoon in an escalating feud with Menendez, top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, who has sharply criticized Pompeo over the firing of the department’s inspector general earlier this month.
Pompeo has faced renewed scrutiny in recent weeks since details of several investigations by the fired inspector general, Steven Linick, were leaked to the press. Linick was examining Pompeo’s alleged misuse of staff and his involvement in an expedited arms sale to Saudi Arabia when he was terminated by President Donald Trump, at Pompeo’s request.
In a letter dated Thursday, provided to The Star alongside the OSC findings, Pompeo accuses Menendez of “hackery” and “character assassination.”
“You have shown an oversized interest in a handful of trips that I took to Kansas,” Pompeo wrote to Menendez, noting that the OSC had closed out its investigation “in light of the absolute propriety of these trips.”
That letter copied reporters from several outlets that have closely covered the secretary’s consideration of a 2020 Senate run from Kansas – including correspondents for The Star, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters and Politico – and accused them of “slander.”
State Department officials also accused Menendez of “defaming” Pompeo for not acknowledging the findings of the OSC investigation sooner.
In a statement issued by his office late Thursday, Menendez said “high-level temper tantrums” would not deter the committee from its oversight mission.
“Clearly the Secretary of State feels deeply disturbed by the ongoing oversight work of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,” the statement said. “However, we will continue to carry out our duties as laid out in the Constitution, including providing advice and consent on nominees, asking tough questions on policy decisions, as well as actions taken at the Department.”
The Office of Special Counsel confirmed to The Star earlier this month that it had opened an investigation into Pompeo after Menendez’ request. But it declined to comment on the results or say whether the inquiry had been closed because federal rules restrict it from sharing information on the status of cases with anyone other than the parties involved.
Only Pompeo or Menendez had the power to reveal its results and the State Department declined to provide that information when asked by The Star last week. OSC confirmed its January letter Thursday evening after Pompeo’s release.
This story was originally published May 28, 2020 at 6:50 PM.
