'Highly unusual and cryptically worded': State Dept. IG requests urgent meeting with Congress

Greg P. | 7:22 AM on October 02, 2019

One of the things we’re watching this morning is this meeting this morning between both Republican and Democratic House and Senate committees and the State Department’s IG, who requested an urgent meeting yesterday.

According to reports, he’s bringing documents with him:

The State Department's IG has requested to meet tomorrow with a number of Senate and House committees "to discuss and provide staff with copies of documents related to the State Department and Ukraine," per a letter first reported by WashPosthttps://t.co/CKctnaViIM

— Axios (@axios) October 2, 2019

The urgent request for a meeting was called “highly unusual and cryptically worded”:

CNN: State Dept inspector general has requested an urgent Hill briefing with relevant committees tomorrow related to Ukraine. The email that went to staff suggested it was urgent. A Congressional aid described the State IG’s request as “highly unusual and cryptically worded.”

— Shimon Prokupecz (@ShimonPro) October 1, 2019

Nobody knows what the meeting is about, but Dems already like it:

the system seems to be working again. IG's who believe in the rule of law are asserting their constitutional authority. The state IG will be on the Hill tomorrow and he's not their representing Pompeo but the Constitution

— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) October 2, 2019

There’s speculation the meeting is in response to Sec. Mike Pompeo’s statement yesterday that put deposition on hold:

Standing next to John Dean before a town hall, @ericswalwell says Pompeo’s letter sent a “don’t snitch” message to State Dept. employees. He says that he’s encouraged that the State Dept. IG is talking to Congress. pic.twitter.com/45Wy0irIbE

— Leigh Ann Caldwell (@LACaldwellDC) October 2, 2019

Dems are also claiming that Sec. Pompeo is conflicted and “should not be making any decisions regarding witness testimony or document production”:

Smart point.

Committee Chairs' letter to DOS points out Pompeo's conflict of interest:

1. He was in on Ukraine call (for which, I'd add, there's serious concerns a crime, in addition to impeachable conduct, was committed)

2. He's acting to block State Dept officials testifying pic.twitter.com/mFwgKPNx0h

— Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) October 2, 2019

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