Government watchdog seeks records on NPR reporter’s removal from Pompeo trip

A government watchdog group on Tuesday asked the State Department to turn over records related to the removal of an NPR reporter from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s upcoming overseas trip, a move that was widely seen as retaliatory following Pompeo’s clash with another reporter from the outlet.

The watchdog organization, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), is seeking emails, text messages and other records related to the department’s decision to bar NPR reporter Michele Kelemen from a group of journalists traveling this week with Pompeo to Europe and Central Asia.

Journalist advocacy groups have decried the State Department’s action, saying the removal of Kelemen from the press pool appeared to be a response to the flare-up between Pompeo and her NPR colleague Mary Louise Kelly following a tense interview.

“The requested records would shed light on whether the State Department or Secretary Pompeo did, in fact, retaliate against NPR as a result of the contentious January 24, 2020 Interview,” CREW attorney Nikhel Sus wrote in the group’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

“The public has a compelling interest in the release of such records, insofar as they could reveal efforts to undermine the free press by excluding a major media outlet for improper or arbitrary reasons,” Sus added.

Pompeo lashed out at Kelly, co-host of “All Things Considered,” and accused her of lying after she disclosed on-air late last week that a heated exchange had occurred between them following an interview.

During a Friday broadcast, Kelly said she had confirmed with Pompeo’s staff the night before the interview that she would be asking about Ukraine, which is at the center of the ongoing impeachment trial in the Senate. Pompeo said he believed the interview would be centered on Iran.

Following their interview, Kelly said, Pompeo forcefully questioned and cursed at her.

“He asked, ‘Do you think Americans care about Ukraine?’ He used the F-word in that sentence and many others,” Kelly told “All Things Considered” co-host Ari Shapiro on Friday.

In his response on Saturday, Pompeo accused the veteran journalist of having lied about the terms of their interview, and implied she had been unable to identify Ukraine on a map when questioned.

According to NPR, Kelemen, the outlet’s diplomatic correspondent, was informed on Monday that “she would not be traveling,” but was “not given a reason.”

Pompeo is expected to travel to Ukraine on Thursday for a trip that was postponed in December.

The State Department did not respond to a request for comment.

President Trump on Tuesday praised Pompeo for his handling of a dispute with Kelly, making light of the incident and saying that the top diplomat “did a good job on her.”

The White House Correspondents’ Association (WCHA) on Tuesday criticized the State Department’s move and called for it to reverse the decision.

“The State Department’s apparent attempt to take punitive action against a news outlet for its reporting is outrageous and contrary to American values,” WCHA president Jonathan Karl said in a statement.