Pompeo talks to Jan. 6 panel, Mastriano cuts own meeting short

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Feb. 25, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. The Jan. 6 committee interviewed Pompeo and met briefly with Pennsylvania's Republican nominee for governor Doug Mastriano on Aug. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

The House panel investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection interviewed former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and met briefly with Pennsylvania’s Republican nominee for governor Doug Mastriano on Tuesday as it probes Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Pompeo is among several of Trump’s former Cabinet officials the committee wanted to talk to after it was disclosed that some of them raised concerns about former president’s actions — going so far as having considered invoking the 25th Amendment process to remove Trump from office after the riot. Pompeo’s appearance was confirmed by a person familiar with the situation but unauthorized to discuss it publicly.

Mastriano, who was outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and helped organize efforts in Pennsylvania to submit alternate presidential electors beholden to Trump, cut his interview short without answering questions. He disputed the validity of the committee and the terms of the appearance, his attorney said.