Threat Management, Threat Intelligence

Oversight Committee says Flynn likely broke law, White House rejects request for more info

The leaders of the House Oversight Committee, tasked with investigating Russia meddling into the U.S. presidential election and any links to members of the Trump team, said Tuesday that Gen. Michael Flynn, the former National Security Advisor, likely broke the law when he failed to disclose payments he'd received from foreign governments, including Russia.

Flynn was forced to resign after a brief stint in the new administration after it was revealed that he discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia for interfering in the election with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

"There is no data to support the notion that Flynn complied with the law," Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said in press conference held with ranking Democrat Elijah Cummings, D-Md. "He was supposed to seek and receive permission from the secretary of state and the Army secretary both to receive that payment and engage in that kind of activity."

On Tuesday, the White House turned down a request from the committee to provide more information related payments to Flynn by foreign government, noting that since those payments were made before the retired general was on the White House payroll the White House would not have some of the documents requested and that other documents requested are classified.

“It is unclear how such documents would be relevant to the stated purpose of the committee's review, which according to your letter is to examine Lt. Gen. Flynn's disclosure of payments related to activities that occurred in 2015 and 2016, prior to his service in the White House,” said White House Legislative Director Marc Short.

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