Report: Trump Knew Weeks Ago Flynn Withheld Info About Russia Calls
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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) – There is a new report out Tuesday night about President Donald Trump's campaign and the communication staffers appear to have had with Russian officials.
The New York Times article states members of the Trump presidential campaign had repeated contact with senior Russian intelligence agents during campaign 2016.
This is coming to light as President Trump's national security advisor, Michael Flynn, was forced out because of his conversations with Russia's ambassador to the United States.
Flynn's forced resignation was, according to the white house, a matter of trust.
"We got to a point not based on a legal issue, but based on a trust issue," explained White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. "Where the level of trust between the president and General Flynn had eroded to a point where he felt he had to make a change."
In his resignation letter, Flynn said, in part:
"Unfortunately because of the fast pace of events, I inadvertently briefed the vice president-elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian ambassador."
The New York Times now reports Trump campaign officials had many contacts with Russian agents around the same time Russia hacked into the Democratic National Committee emails.
"I am 100 percent convinced that the Russian government, through their proxies and actual government officials, tried to interfere in the 2016 election," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina.
Some in Congress are calling for an investigation into Russian hacking into the election as well into what Flynn told the Russian ambassador and why it took the president a month to fire Flynn.
"We want to know by what authority did Gen. Flynn have these conversations and who did he report to after that?" said Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-California.
Several senate Republicans are joining Democrats calling for an investigation.
"I think it's likely that Gen. Flynn will be at some point asked to come and talk to the committee about both post-election activities and any other activities that he would be aware of," Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri said.
We have yet to hear from Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. But there is word Tuesday night that President Trump will be hosting Rubio and his wife for dinner Wednesday night at the White House.
Flynn's dismissal dates back to Christmas Day when he called the Russian ambassador.
Three days later, Flynn called a second time.
The following day, the Obama administration announced sanctions against Russia and expelled 35 diplomats in retaliation for cyber-attacks on the Democratic National Committee.
Russian President Vladimir Putin did not retaliate, drawing praise from the president-elect on twitter.
Two weeks later, Vice President Mike Pence was asked if Flynn discussed sanctions with the Russian ambassador.
"Those conversations had nothing to do with those sanctions," Pence said.
But on January 26, acting Attorney General Sally Yates informed the White House that Flynn lied about his phone calls. The president was briefed by White House lawyers that day.
Four days later, Yates was fired in a dispute over the president's travel ban.
