A subpanel of the House Foreign Affairs Committee is questioning the legality of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s speech at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday.
The panel on oversight told the State Department it would be looking into Pompeo’s appearance after being provided legal guidance that Senate-confirmed presidential appointees were prohibited from attending political conventions, NBC News reported.
The subcommittee’s chairman, Rep. Joaquin Castro, said the speech is “highly unusual and likely unprecedented” as well as possibly illegal.
Pompeo will address the crowd from Jerusalem, where he is on a diplomatic mission discussing the recently U.S.-brokered deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
A number of diplomats and lawmakers expressed concern over Pompeo making the speech while on an official visit.
“People are extraordinarily upset about it,” former Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told NBC. “Pompeo is clearly ensuring the State Department is politicized by using his position to carry out what is basically a partisan mission.”
The Biden campaign also accused Pompeo of politicizing diplomacy, while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said it was “appalling” that Pompeo would address the RNC from Jerusalem.
The House subpanel is requesting a briefing by Sept. 1 regarding the speech, the expense of the trip, and how much was reimbursed by the RNC, the Trump campaign, or others.
The RNC is taking place between Aug. 24-27.
