Mike Pompeo explained to reporters today why he recommended the firing of State Department IG Steve Linick, but also said he had no idea Linick was investigating him when he recommended that Trump fire him:
DC EXAMINER – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he didn’t know Inspector General Steve Linick was investigating him and that the watchdog was ousted because he was “undermining” the State Department.
Pompeo told the Washington Post on Monday that Linick’s termination didn’t have to do with politics but was because he was not performing his job correctly. Days before Pompeo’s explanation, Democratic lawmakers launched an investigation into the firing over concerns that it came in retaliation for Linick looking into the secretary’s use of a political aide in addition to an arms sale to Saudi Arabia.
“I went to the president and made clear to him that Inspector General Linick wasn’t performing a function in a way that we had tried to get him to, that was additive for the State Department, very consistent with what the statute says he’s supposed to be doing,” Pompeo said. “The kinds of activities he’s supposed to undertake to make us better, to improve us.”
“I actually know how that works,” he added. “I had an IG at the CIA, not the IG that I had chosen but an IG that was there before me. He did fantastic work. He made us better. Linick wasn’t that.”
Pompeo says he doesn’t see IG investigations until they are final, so there’s no way he could have known the IG was investigating him…
Despite the remarks, Pompeo declined to cite specific concerns that he had about Linick. He also said he didn’t know he was being investigated by the watchdog when he made the recommendation to fire him, adding that he was aware of only one case related to a matter of national security.
“It is not possible that this decision, or my recommendation, rather, to the president, rather, was based on any effort to retaliate for any investigation that was going on or is currently going on,” Pompeo said. “Because I simply don’t know. I’m not briefed on it. I usually see these investigations in final draft form 24 hours, 48 hours before the IG is prepared to release them.
“So, it’s simply not possible for this to be an act of retaliation. End of story,” he added.
I think it’s very possible Pompeo didn’t know he was being investigated. Beyond his explanation, however, there’s just not enough information at this point to say one way or the other whether Pompeo isn’t telling the truth.
As far as the firing itself, Trump obviously has the authority to fire IGs since they are political appointments. But he needs to have good reason for doing so, and it sounds like from what Pompeo said that they did have good reason.
But who cares about the truth? Neither the media nor the Democrats care about it, and they will use this firing in the most negative way possible to hurt Trump and/or Pompeo. The Democrats will try and make enough hay to get Pompeo ousted and the media will carry their water the whole way. The truth, whatever it may be, will not even be a consideration in this continuing war on Trump. They will elevate Linick just like they have Dick Bright, and they’re probably already making plans to get him on 60 Minutes next week.