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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Tuesday (October 2nd) that employees of his ministry summoned to testify in the impeachment proceedings against the US president would not appear this week before the House committee charged with investigation.
From our correspondent in Washington , Anne Corpet
This is not a complete refusal to obey, but a direct affront: the Secretary of State rejects the timetable imposed by the elected Democrats, in the impeachment proceedings launched against US President Donald Trump . In his letter to the House, Mike Pompeo described the assignments sent to diplomats as "an attempt to intimidate, harass, and mistreat the distinguished State Department professionals ."
► See also: The steps of a procedure to remove a president from the United States
He writes: " Due to important legal and procedural concerns, it is not feasible for diplomats in Congress to begin their hearings on Wednesday ." The investigating committee sent summonses to five State Department employees who could provide information on relations between the Trump administration and Ukraine .
Stop intimidating witnesses
The first hearing, scheduled for Wednesday, October 2, was about the former US ambassador to Kiev. The heads of three House committees immediately responded to Mike Pompeo's letter.
The secretary of state " should immediately stop intimidating witnesses to protect themselves and the president, " they write in a statement.
" The head of the American diplomacy is a direct witness in the investigation " they specify. Before adding, " any effort to prevent hearings before the Congress is illegal and constitutes proof of impediment to the impeachment investigation ".