State Dept inspector general's 'urgent' Ukraine briefing underway on Capitol Hill
The State Department’s inspector general is giving an "urgent" briefing to staffers from several House and Senate committees on Wednesday afternoon about documents obtained from the department’s Office of the Legal Adviser related to the State Department and Ukraine, sources familiar with the planned briefing told ABC News.
Details of the briefing, requested by Steve Linick, the inspector general at State, remain unknown. Linick was to meet with congressional staff in a secure location on Capitol Hill.
The unusual nature and timing of the briefing -- during a congressional recess -- suggests it may be connected to a recent intelligence community whistleblower allegation which describes, in part, the State Department’s role in coordinating interactions between Rudy Giuliani, the president’s personal attorney, and Ukrainian officials.
The inspector general is the department's internal investigator and watchdog, and the office generally operates independently of the department's political leadership.
The State Department has faced criticism in recent weeks for connecting Giuliani to multiple Ukrainian officials about re-opening an investigation into for Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
The State Department's press office and the State Department's inspector general's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The committees expected to be part of the briefing did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
