Flynn to provide papers on Russia
Former national security adviser Michael Flynn will provide documents to the Senate Intelligence Committee as part of its probe into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election.
Mr Flynn’s decision on Tuesday came as President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, rejected a House Intelligence Committee request for information, and former White House staffer Boris Epshteyn confirmed he has been contacted for information as part of the House investigation.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin sounded similar tones as they criticized the ongoing US scrutiny of Russia’s attempts to sway the presidential election.
Mr Flynn’s cooperation was the first signal that he and the senate panel have found common ground. congressional investigators continue to press for key documents in the ongoing investigation, and the retired lieutenant general is trying to limit damaging disclosures that hostile Democratic lawmakers could use against him.
Mr Flynn had previously invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination in declining an earlier subpoena from the committee, which sought a wide array of documents and information related to his contacts with Russia. Mr Flynn’s attorneys had argued the request was too broad and would have required Mr Flynn to turn over information that could have been used against him. In response, the senate panel narrowed the scope of its request. It also issued subpoenas seeking records from Mr Flynn’s businesses.
One of the businesses, Flynn Intel Group Inc., did consulting work for a Turkish businessman that required Mr Flynn to register with the justice department as a foreign agent earlier this year. The other, Flynn Intel Group LLC, was used to accept money from Flynn's paid speeches. Among the payments was more than $33,000 Mr Flynn received from RT, the Russian statesponsored television network that US intelligence officials have branded as a propaganda arm of the Kremlin.