Gordon Sondland, who as a U.S. ambassador in 2019 accused then-President Donald Trump of seeking a “quid pro quo” with Ukraine, on Monday sued former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the U.S. for $1.8 million in reimbursement for legal fees incurred during Trump’s first impeachment probe.
The lawsuit alleges Pompeo “made a legally binding promise, both individually and on behalf of the Government,” to pay Sondland’s attorneys’ fees after the then-ambassador to the European Union was subpoenaed to testify before Congress.
But Pompeo allegedly “reneged on his promise” after learning what Sondland would say to the congressional investigators: that Trump and his aides, including Rudy Giuliani, pressured Ukraine to announce investigations that would involve then-potential Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.
