Taxpayers have been paying for dinners hosted by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, raising additional questions about his conduct as a Cabinet member.
Pompeo’s habitual “Madison Dinners” in Washington up until the coronavirus outbreak have come under new scrutiny regarding how federal funds are being used by government officials.
The two dozen or so dinners have been unpublicized gatherings hosted by Pompeo and his wife, normally held at the Diplomatic Reception Rooms, according to NBC News. About two dozen have been held since 2018, with guest lists often including an array of elite personalities, including billionaire CEOs, Supreme Court justices, and ambassadors.
State Department officials involved with the dinners argued the events were using federal funds to build a network of supporters and donors for Pompeo’s potential political ambitions. Records obtained by NBC showed nearly 30% of the guests came from the corporate world, 25% from media or entertainment, 30% from the public sector, and 14% were foreign officials or diplomats. Only Republican members of Congress have been invited.
Recently fired State Department Inspector General Steve Linick was investigating claims that Pompeo used a political appointee to carry out personal errands as well as a Saudi arms sale, but it’s unclear whether Linick was looking into the dinners. Two administration officials told NBC News that the watchdog made some type of inquiry to the protocol office before he was ousted last week and that Pompeo was notified.
State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said Pompeo has benefited from gaining knowledge from his guests, which have included “many foreign diplomats, thought leaders, academics, government leaders at many levels, business leaders, members of Congress, and the media — each of whom has a stake in America and its leadership in the world.”
Notable invitees have included Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy, Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, among others. It’s unclear who actually attended.
