State Department Deflects Lawmakers’ Complaint of Political Retaliation Against Career Employees

Government Executive: The State Department on Wednesday reiterated a position that “political retaliation will not be tolerated,” reacting to a letter sent Tuesday from two Democratic committee leaders questioning the recent promotion of a policy planner accused of intimidating career employees.

Brian Hook, State’s director of the policy planning staff, was recently named by Secretary Mike Pompeo to lead a new Iran Action Group as a special representative. Hook was praised as having “worked tirelessly to advance President Trump’s foreign policy priorities across multiple domains.”

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