Under fire for his decision to speak at the Republican National Convention, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says his department determined it was lawful for him to deliver an address at the event.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Pompeo was pressed about the speech by a reporter who noted that previously released State Department guidelines prohibit Senate-confirmed officials from participating in political activities.
“All I can say in my role as secretary of state, I did this in my personal capacity,” Pompeo said, adding, “The State Department reviewed this and it was lawful.”
He said, “And I personally felt it was important that the world hear the message of what this administration has accomplished,” he said.
Watch the video below (starting at 7:30):
Pompeo delivered a pre-recorded speech to the convention that was filmed while he was in Jerusalem, Israel, on an official business trip. The decision stirred up controversy, with some noting that previous sitting secretaries of state have not spoken at political conventions while serving.
The Biden campaign also released a statement claiming that Pompeo’s speech “undermines the critical work being done by the State Department.”
“Making this inherently partisan address from Jerusalem is also the latest instance of this administration seeking to use Israel as a political wedge issue,” the statement added.
Additionally, the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Twitter account shared a portion of State Department guidelines that read, “Senate-confirmed Presidential appointees may not even attend a political party convention or convention-related event.”
"Senate-confirmed Presidential appointees may not even attend a political party convention or convention-related event."
— House Foreign Affairs Committee Dems (@HouseForeign) August 24, 2020
Just last month, in a cable to every @StateDept office and diplomatic post that went out with his own signature, Secretary Pompeo reiterated this guidance. pic.twitter.com/fCYK4btZr5
The decision to deliver a speech also factored into Rep. Eliot Engel’s (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, decision to launch contempt proceedings against Pompeo.