CNN’s Manu Raju and Jeremy Herb write: Former national security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded the Fifth Amendment instead of complying with the Senate intelligence committee’s subpoena for documents in its investigation of Russian meddling in the US election.
Flynn’s refusal to cooperate came as he faces scrutiny in several inquiries, including on Capitol Hill and a federal grand jury that has issued subpoenas to associates of the ex-national security adviser. His refusal to cooperate will also intensify scrutiny over President Donald Trump‘s decision to hire him initially for the job and his decision to keep him on staff for 18 days after the President was warned by then-acting Attorney General Sally Yates that Flynn may have been compromised by the Russians.
Democratic Sen. Mark Warner told CNN they might hold Flynn in contempt of Congress, saying, “I’ve got to get the legal answer to that first.”
But former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort has turned over documents to the committee, a source familiar with the filing told CNN. Former Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone has also complied with the committee’s requests and answered its questions, according to Stone’s attorney, Robert Buschel.
On the House side, CNN’s Lauren Fox and Manu Raju report on a letter from Rep. Elijah Cummings. Democrats on the House oversight committee say their outgoing Republican chairman, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, must subpoena White House documents, and the Cummings letter refers to a Report of Investigation that the Democrats say shows Flynn lied to investigators. Here’s the full letter. |