According to a new report, the former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has repeatedly asked his staff to do his personal work.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife violated ethics rules by asking department employees to carry out tasks of a personal nature, including pet care, a report released Friday by the State Department’s internal watchdog said.
The report by the State Department’s Office of Inspector General details a range of complaints made by State Department employees. The OIG says it found evidence that Susan Pompeo, Mr. Pompeo’s wife, allegedly tasked a senior adviser to the former secretary with purchasing or delivering personal items, ranging from flowers for friends, photograph prints, magazines for Mr. Pompeo’s family, and T-shirts for a friend in Ukraine.
The watchdog says requests exceeded ethical boundaries with regard to some State Department staff. The report, however, didn’t find that the couple exceeded ethical boundaries with the special agents protecting them.
“At no time did I, or my wife Susan, misuse taxpayer money or violate rules or ethical norms,” Mr. Pompeo said. “Our actions were constantly reviewed by dozens of lawyers, and we made massive efforts, and did, comply with every requirement.”
“This latest IG report is yet another attempt to slander me and worse, my wife by our own government,” the former secretary added.
The State Department’s independent watchdog found that former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo violated federal ethics rules when he and his wife asked department employees to perform personal tasks on more than 100 occasions, including picking up their dog and making private dinner reservations.
Why it matters: The report comes as Pompeo pours money into a new political group amid speculation about a possible 2024 presidential run.
What they’re saying: “OIG found evidence of over 100 requests to Department employees that are inconsistent with the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch or raised questions about the proper use of Department resources,” the State Department’s inspector general found as first reported by Politico.
- “These requests from the Pompeos, which fell into three broad categories —requests to pick up personal items, planning of events unrelated to the Department’s mission, and miscellaneous personal requests — had no apparent connection to the official business of the Department.”
- Examples included taking care of their dog, helping write a letter of recommendation for a medical school application, booking salon appointments and making private dinner reservations, per the report.
Pompeo’s attorney denied the allegations against his client and called the report “false.”
- “The poor quality of the report bespeaks not merely unprofessionalism in its drafting but also bias, which we are concerned may be politically motivated,” Pompeo’s lawyer, William Burck, said in a response appended to the report.
What’s next: The report did not call for any disciplinary action against Pompeo because he is no longer in office, but did recommend steps the State Department should take to “mitigate the risk of future senior leaders committing similar violations.”
