The vice chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Joaquin Castro, D-Tex., said Tuesday he would investigate whether Pompeo’s speech at the Republican convention violated State Department policy or the Hatch Act, a law designed to separate government and political activity.
Pompeo is speaking to the convention Tuesday in a pre-recorded speech from Jerusalem while on official business.
“It is highly unusual, and likely unprecedented, for a sitting secretary of State to speak at a partisan convention for either of the political parties,” wrote Castro, who is the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs’ oversight subcommittee. “It appears that it may also be illegal.”
In his letter to the State Department, Castro asks Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun to provide answers to several questions about the speech, including questions about the legal guidance that was circulated in advance of the speech, apparently clearing Pompeo to deliver it. Castro asked for responses to his questions by September 1.
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