McKinley testimony: It's not getting any better for the Trump cabal

A former top adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told House impeachment investigators on Wednesday that he abruptly resigned last week because of President Donald Trump’s attacks on the ousted U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and the State Department’s unwillingness to protect career diplomats from politically motivated pressure, according to people familiar with the testimony.

Michael McKinley, a career foreign service officer with nearly 40 years of experience, had a front-row seat to Pompeo’s decision-making at the State Department. And like other current and former officials who have testified for the House’s impeachment inquiry, McKinley told investigators he was deeply alarmed by efforts by Trump and his allies to pressure Ukraine to investigate the president’s political rivals.

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McKinley attributed his resignation to “what appears to be the utilization of our ambassadors overseas to advance domestic political objectives.”

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“I was disturbed by the implication that foreign governments were being approached to procure negative information on political opponents,” McKinley told Congress, according to the former colleague familiar with his testimony. “I was convinced that this would also have a serious impact on foreign service morale and the integrity of our work overseas.”

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McKinley served as ambassador to four countries and has had several postings at U.S. embassies all over the world. He first joined the foreign service in 1982 and is highly respected among the diplomatic corps.

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“Since I began my career in 1982, I have served my country and every president loyally,” McKinley added. “Under current circumstances, however, I could no longer look the other way as colleagues are denied the professional support and respect they deserve from us all.”

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According to an official working on the impeachment inquiry, McKinley appeared for his testimony voluntarily and was not under subpoena. It was unclear whether the State Department sought to prevent him from appearing, as it has done for other witnesses.

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“I have known Mike McKinley for quite some time. He has been with the State Department for 37 years and he told me for lots of good and sufficient reasons for him and his family–wanted to go on and begin the next phase of his life,” Pompeo told WKRN in Nashville [last week].

  Politico

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.