In short, Pompeo’s testimony would have provided a target-rich environment for probing allegations against the secretary of state, which included everything from misusing taxpayer funds to improperly pushing through an $8 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia. Perfect timing then for the GOP chair of the Senate Foreign Relations panel, Idaho Sen. Jim Risch, to give Pompeo a pass on testifying.
According to Politico, Risch’s staff director, Chris Socha, held a phone call last Friday with top aides to Republican members of the committee to tell them Risch was simply dropping his quest for Pompeo’s testimony. The decision was framed as an effort of preserve “political capital,” which effectively means Risch didn’t want to work too hard to actually investigate wrongdoing by Pompeo. Continue reading.