Democrats accuse Pompeo of trying to illegally 'intimidate' witnesses in impeachment inquiry

After Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused House Democrats of trying to "intimidate" State Department officials, they're accusing him of doing the same.

In a statement Tuesday, the Democratic chairs of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the House Intelligence Committee, and the House Oversight Committee accused Pompeo of attempting to illegally "intimidate witnesses."

They were responding to Pompeo in a statement earlier Tuesday saying Democrats, who have requested five current and former State Department officials appear before Congress, are attempting to "intimidate, bully, and treat improperly" these officials and that they've provided "woefully inadequate opportunity for the department and the requested witnesses to prepare."

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Democrats probing President Trump's phone call with Ukraine's president, which Pompeo reportedly listened into, were planning for depositions to begin Wednesday, though Pompeo says this isn't "feasible." Out of the five officials Democrats are seeking testimony from, four were mentioned in the recent whistleblower complaint alleging abuse of power by Trump, CNN reports.

Citing the reports that he listened into the Ukraine call, the House Democrats also accuse Pompeo, who they call a "fact witness," of "intimidating department witnesses in order to protect himself and the president," also warning this "will constitute evidence of obstruction of the impeachment inquiry."