HOUSE SUBPOENAS EYE TRUMP, OBAMA ALLIES
Unmasked aides, Flynn focal points
President Trump’s associates faced more subpoenas in the ongoing Russia probe yesterday, but the House panel leading the investigation is also reportedly digging into the Obama administration’s handling of classified information.
The House Intelligence Committee issued subpoenas for several people yesterday, including Trump’s ousted former national security adviser Michael Flynn and his company, Flynn Intel Group, as well as Trump’s attorney, Michael Cohen, and his firm, Michael D. Cohen & Associates.
The House, Senate and FBI are all probing alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign, as well as any collusion with the Trump campaign.
Flynn on Tuesday agreed to turn over some documents to comply with the Senate Intelligence Committee’s investigation.
The House has also asked former Trump assistant Boris Epshteyn to voluntarily turn over information and to testify.
The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, reported that the House issued four subpoenas related to the Russia probe and three related to how Trump campaign officials’ names ended up “unmasked” in classified reports by Obama administration officials.
Those Trump associates had been caught up incidentally on surveillance conducted on others, and the subpoenas suggest Republicans are not just investigating Trump, but also looking into the Obama administration’s actions.
The House panel targeted the National Security Agency, the FBI and the CIA, looking for information on requests made by former national security adviser Susan
Rice, CIA Director John Brennan and former United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power to reveal the redacted names of Trump associates in classified reports, the Journal reported.
Also yesterday, Trump tried to play down reports that he will pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement, insisting he had not officially made up his mind.
“Very soon,” Trump told reporters at the White House yesterday when asked when he’d announce a decision. “I’m hearing from a lot of people both ways.”
Even Trump’s inner circle is said to be divided over whether to stay in the Paris accord, which aims to reduce carbon emissions worldwide.
The New York Times reported Trump adviser Steve Bannon favors pulling out of the agreement and that Trump views such an exit as fulfilling a campaign promise to coal miners, while his daughter Ivanka Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have urged him to stay.
Trump faced more pressure yesterday from high-ranking business and political figures on Twitter.
Former Bay State Gov. Mitt Romney backed staying in the agreement.
“Affirmation of the #ParisAgreement is not only about the climate: It is also about America remaining the global leader,” Romney tweeted.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is part of Trump’s strategic and policy forum as well as his manufacturing jobs initiative, threatened to leave both if Trump pulls the U.S. out of the climate deal.
“Don’t know which way Paris will go, but I’ve done all I can to advise directly to POTUS, through others in WH & via councils, that we remain,” Musk tweeted.
When a Twitter user asked what he’d do if the U.S. left, Musk responded: “Will have no choice but to depart councils in that case.”