Pompeo pushes Ukraine lie that experts call Russian propaganda

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joined a growing chorus of Republicans pushing the debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine — not Russia — hacked the emails of the Democratic National Committee during the 2016 elections.

Pompeo was asked during a news conference on Tuesday whether he believes that the United States should investigate that debunked conspiracy theory.

Rather than say Ukraine didn’t hack the DNC emails — as career diplomats and intelligence experts have done — Pompeo instead suggested an investigation of the matter is warranted.

“Any time there is information that indicates that any country has messed with American elections, we not only have a right, but a duty to chase that down,” Pompeo said.

Of course, the United States intelligence community — including the CIA that Pompeo ran before Trump nominated him to be secretary of state — unanimously determined that Russia was behind the DNC hack, not Ukraine.

And just days ago, national security expert Fiona Hill testified last week, in the impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump, that Republicans who push this debunked Ukrainian conspiracy theory are playing into Russia’s hands.

Other Republicans have been pushing this same conspiracy theory to try to defend Trump from the impeachment inquiry that imperils his presidency.

Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) brought up the debunked theory on Sunday, but was forced to walk back his comments after public backlash. And Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) used the conspiracy throughout the public impeachment hearings to try to defend Trump.

Trump, for his part, used the conspiracy as justification to withhold congressionally appropriated military aid to the country.

“They have the server, right, from the DNC, Democratic National Committee,” Trump said Friday morning on “Fox & Friends,” referring to Ukraine.

Even the “Fox & Friends” hosts — who usually defend Trump at every turn — refused to go along with Trump’s conspiracy theorizing on their show.

“Are you sure they did that?” host Steve Doocey replied, with a confused look on his face.

Now Trump’s secretary of state, who has refused to cooperate with the impeachment inquiry, is promoting the lie that experts say is nothing more than Russian propaganda.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.