Pompeo Hosted Ritzy Taxpayer-Funded Dinners With CEOs And GOP Power Players

[turbinetree]

By Cristina Cabrera
|
May 20, 2020 10:08 a.m.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held about two dozen private lavish soirees, known as “Madison Dinners,” with prominent political and corporate leaders using taxpayer funds, an NBC News investigation found.


Pompeo and his wife hosted the posh dinners in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the State Department beginning in 2018 up until March this year, when COVID-19 began shutting down the country. The affairs, paid for by State Department’s Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular Service Appropriation fund, were slated to continue until at least October.

Invitees included Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, Fox News hosts Laura Ingraham and Brian Kilmeade, American Conservative Union head Matt Schlapp and his wife Mercedes, GOP operative Karl Rove, and anti-abortion lobbyist Marjorie Dannenfelser of the Susan B. Anthony List. Various corporate executives, such as Raytheon CEO Thomas Kennedy and AOL co-founder Steve Case, were also invited.

Unnamed officials told NBC News that they were concerned that the dinners were serving as fundraiser-esque events with guest lists that Pompeo could use if he were to run for office.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/pompeo-hosted-ritzy-taxpayer-funded-dinners-with-ceos-and-gop-power-players

[Me.]

1. Any Details Of Costs To The Taxpayers?

[turbinetree]

2. From the NBC report embedded in the article...............

The State Department special-ordered hundreds of each in 2018, the pens for $23.75 apiece and the journals for $8, officials said.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/pompeo-s-elite-taxpayer-funded-dinners-raise-new-concerns-n1210746

[Me.]

5. Living Large

“several hundred dollars per plate, likely pushing the total cost of the dinners to date into the six figures.”

[turbinetree]

6. It just never ends and in some way this needs to be laid at the feet of the Roberts Court for that

money is free speech thing.................

[Grins]

3. Court justices...?

None of that should have happened, esp. in a government building, but most important is that Supreme Court Justices “Strip-Search Sammy” Alito and Neil Gorsuch should have NEVER been anywhere near that event!!

But I guess it’s IOKIYAR!

[turbinetree]

4. That is correct................they should have there asses hauled in front of the Judicary Committe

and they can even call in Ginni Thomas and her husband...........to have chat...............

[Sneederbunk]

7. Pompeo likes to eat.

[UTUSN]

8. INGRAHAM has beeb popping up more and more...

[Grins]

9. Raytheon CEO Thomas Kennedy?

Would that be the same Raytheon CEO Thomas Kennedy whose company would be a HUGE beneficiary of the $8-Billion arms sale to the Saudis?

The arms deal under investigation by the IG Pompeo had Trump (willingly) fire...? Just some dots that might need connecting.