WASHINGTON DC (May 12, 2020) — Senator Charles "Chuck" Grassley (R-IA) today is again calling on the Justice Department to show its work in the case against Lieutenant General Michael Flynn. The Justice Department’s recent motion to dismiss the criminal case against Lt Gen Flynn in light of exculpatory evidence doesn’t absolve the government of public scrutiny or accountability, Sen Grassley wrote today in a letter to Attorney General William Barr and acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell.
“Given what we now know about the government’s withholding of exculpatory information, and as critics scrutinize the department’s decision to withdraw the case, it’s imperative that the department show all of its work. Without transparency, there will never be true accountability. I strongly encourage you to ramp up your efforts to shine a light on political and bureaucratic wrongdoing during the Russia investigation and declassify and produce the aforementioned records to me,” Sen Grassley wrote.
Sen Grassley’s letter renews his years-old request for access to records at the heart of the government’s case, including a call-transcript between Lt Gen Flynn and a Russian diplomat and all iterations of a report summarizing the FBI’s interview with Lt Gen Flynn, as well as any related records.
Sen Grassley first requested the material in a February 2017, letter co-signed by Sen Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). The Justice Department refused to provide the records, first arguing that the Lt Gen Flynn case was ongoing, and later claiming that the public-court filings provided sufficient transparency. In a June 2018, letter to then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Sen Grassley warned: “Resisting Congressional oversight only serves to further undermine public trust in the Department. By contrast, cooperation could enhance public trust in the Department by demonstrating that its work can withstand independent scrutiny. The lack of transparency feeds public skepticism about the Department’s actions regarding Lt Gen Flynn and related matters.”
The recent disclosure of exculpatory department records, which prompted the motion to dismiss the Flynn case, illustrate the merit of Sen Grassley’s early concerns as well as the need for additional transparency to restore public trust in the department.
Full text of Grassley’s letter enclosed at link.
Related:
Feb. 15, 2017: Grassley, Feinstein Seek Briefing Following Flynn Resignation
Aug. 25, 2017: Grassley to DNI: Declassify Flynn Material
May 11, 2018: Grassley to DOJ, FBI: Request for Flynn Transcripts, 302s, Staff Interviews
May 29, 2018: DOJ Declines May 11, 2018 Request
June 06, 2018: Grassley: Actions in Flynn Case Require Congressional Oversight
April 28, 2020: Grassley Calls DOJ to Unseal New ‘Exculpatory’ Material
May 11, 2020: Floor Speech on Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn and the Russia Investigation
