U.S. State Dept. officials trying to cooperate with House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry are being subjected to retaliation so severe it prompted the State Department Inspector General Steve Linick to demand an “urgent” meeting with congressional leaders, according to a breaking news report from PBS Newshour White House correspondent Yamiche Alcindor.
Linick said he demanded the meeting to “discuss and provide staff with copies of documents related to the State Department and Ukraine.” The IG is meeting later today with senior congressional staff members. The meeting is all the more stunning given that Congress is currently in recess and would ordinarily wait until members had returned.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday blocked at least five State dept. officials from being deposed by House Democrats in conjunction with their impeachment inquiry against President Trump. And earlier Wednesday Pompeo finally admitted, despite previous remarks to the contrary, that he in fact had been on President Trump’s extortion call with the president of Ukraine.
Former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance explained just how serious today’s meeting is:
Earlier Wednesday The Nation’s Joshua Holland noted the IG had requested to meet with members of eight committees from both chambers:
In related news President Donald Trump has repeatedly, and as recently as just one hour ago, demanded the intelligence official who filed a damning whistleblower report against him be unmasked. House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff late Wednesday morning announced Trump’s attacks are an “incitement to violence.”
UPDATE:
Developing…
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