But there’s been plenty of criticism that Pompeo’s breaking precedent for sitting top diplomats to steer clear of national political party conventions. Biden's campaign called it a "politicization of diplomacy" in a press release. "Secretary Pompeo's decision to address the Republican Convention from Jerusalem isn't just an abuse of taxpayer dollars; it undermines the critical work being done by the State Department,” Biden Deputy Campaign Manager Kate Bedingfield said on Tuesday. The State Department will not bear any costs in conjunction with this appearance.”THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT MIKE POMPEOThe Associated Press reported that four teams of lawyers, including the State Department legal counsel, reviewed the speech, to be delivered from Jerusalem, to make sure that it does not cross ethical lines. In 2008, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was also abroad when Republicans nominated Sen. John McCain as the GOP's standard-bearer.

Source: Fox News August 25, 2020 15:11 UTC