Three Republican senators have sent a letter to President Barack Obama, asking him to fire deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes for comments he made about the administration misleading lawmakers on last year's Iran nuclear deal.
The letter, reported by
The Washington Free Beacon, is signed by Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk, Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso.
The letter says Rhodes and other members of the administration "spearheaded the charge to mislead elected lawmakers and the American people about the Iran nuclear deal and the negotiations that led to this agreement."
Rhodes was quoted in a New York Times magazine article earlier this month saying he helped create a false narrative that Iranian moderates were calling the shots in Iran rather than the country's hardliners.
Rhodes disputed the report in a
post on Medium, but he will not be appearing before a House Oversight Committee hearing Tuesday to discuss his role, the Free Beacon and Fox News report.
Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz says Rhodes may be subpoenaed if he does not testify voluntarily.
"We call on you to dismiss Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes before he further tarnishes the Office of President," the three senators wrote Obama in their letter. "While members of the Executive and Legislative branches may sometimes deeply disagree on issues of vital importance to our nation’s security and prosperity, we should all agree, for the greater good of our Republic and the citizens whom we represent, to engage in our debates in a respectful, honest, and constructive manner."
They further asked whether Obama agrees "with Mr. Rhodes's contention that it is 'impossible' for elected U.S. lawmakers to engage in a 'sober, reasoned public debate' with your Administration over Iran or other issues vital to America’s security and prosperity?"