The top-ranked Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has asked the FBI to brief her committee regarding what it knows about any ties to Russia a member of President Donald Trump's inner circle has.
A Washington Post report this week claimed national security adviser Michael Flynn discussed America's sanctions on Russia with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak before Trump took office. The transmissions were intercepted by the FBI and although the bureau has reportedly not found Flynn to have talked about the sanctions put in place by former President Barack Obama, Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri wants lawmakers bought into the loop.
"As part of these communications, General Flynn may have struck an agreement or implied future cooperation with Russia and President Vladimir Putin regarding sanctions relief or some form of preferential treatment," McCaskill wrote in a letter to the FBI, The Hill reports.
"Given the significant implications that any such communications may have had for the nation's homeland and national security, I request that you provide a closed briefing for the Committee as soon as possible regarding the scope and status of any current FBI investigation related to General Flynn's contacts with the Russian government."
McCaskill is not the only Democrat critical of Flynn's alleged discussions with the Russian ambassador. As the Hill notes, Rep. Adam Schiff of California said in a Friday statement he wants Flynn removed from his White House job if any misconduct occurred.
"If he did [discuss the sanctions], and then he and other Administration officials misled the American people, his conduct would be all the more pernicious, and he should no longer serve in this Administration or any other," Schiff said.
Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, reportedly "can't be certain" whether the issue of sanctions came up during his conversations with Kislyak. Obama put the sanctions in place after U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia meddled with the presidential election.
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