Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tore into Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., in a letter this week, calling out his "hackery" and accusing him of making allegations that led to "flat untruths about me."
According to Politico, Pompeo sent the letter on Thursday in regards to Menendez's claims that Pompeo is still under investigation for violating the Hatch Act related to trips he made to his home state of Kansas.
"It is no surprise that you and I hold differing visions for America's foreign policy mission," Pompeo wrote. "But, for you and your staff to continue to address these different views by conducting character assassination attempts against me and my team … is not honorable or worthy of the trust Americans have placed in you."
He continued, "The [Office of Special Counsel] response to your hackery makes clear your continued effort to politicize legitimate and important diplomatic and national security activity was without merit.
"The scurrilous allegations you put forward had the additional effect — one which you clearly intended when you publicized your letter to the OSC — of generating a continuing series of media articles and reports with rumors, innuendo and flat untruths about me and the U.S. Department of State."
Pompeo's trips to Kansas were flagged as official travel as part of his job at the State Department, but at the time he was exploring a run for the Senate. He ultimately decided against running.
The Office of Special Counsel, a federal watchdog, cleared him of wrongdoing, The Hill reported.
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