Washington, D.C. — The Center for American Progress is calling for the immediate suspension of national security adviser Michael Flynn, pending the outcome of a full investigation into allegations that he lied about having discussions with Russian officials about U.S. sanctions prior to President Donald Trump taking office.
Recordings of phone conversations by U.S. intelligence agencies apparently show that Flynn lied when he previously denied discussing election-related sanctions on Russia with Kremlin officials while President Barack Obama was still commander in chief. According to multiple U.S. intelligence officials, the intercepts contain disturbing revelations related to Flynn’s engagement with Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak. These contacts began before the 2016 election and continued into the transition, with Flynn allegedly telling the Russians that sanctions would be revisited by the incoming Trump administration. The contacts persisted even after the U.S. government’s determination that the Kremlin engaged in a covert operation to influence the U.S. election and put Donald Trump in the White House.
In light of these new allegations, CAP calls on the Trump administration to immediately take the following steps:
- Put national security adviser Michael Flynn on leave and suspend his security clearance, pending the conclusion of a full investigation into his contacts with Russian officials.
- Provide a public accounting of all contacts between Flynn and Russian Ambassador Kislyak during the campaign and the transition, including releasing any available transcripts of the calls.
- Confirm whether President Trump or Vice President Mike Pence, at any time, had knowledge that Flynn’s conversations with Kislyak involved discussions of sanctions.
- Provide a public accounting of all payments that Flynn or his firm received from Russia or Russian entities and any other business dealings he has had with Russians since leaving the Defense Intelligence Agency.
- Provide a public accounting of all contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russian officials or agents of the Russian government during the campaign.
These latest revelations are only more evidence that the American people need an independent bipartisan commission to fully investigate all aspects of Russia’s operation targeting the 2016 presidential election.
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For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact Tom Caiazza at [email protected] or 202.481.7141.