Colorado Congressmen call for Flynn’s resignation if he misled administration over Russia call

UPDATE (9:15 p.m.): Gen. Michael Flynn resigned as President Donald Trump’s national security adviser Monday night, saying he “inadvertently briefed the Vice President Elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian Ambassador.”

The full text of his resignation letter is embedded below, via TIME’s Zeke Miller:

 

WASHINGTON – Two of Colorado’s Congressmen on Monday called for National Security Adviser Gen. Michael Flynn to resign if he indeed discussed sanctions against Russia in phone calls with the Russian ambassador leading up to the inauguration and misled the administration about the conversations.

Numerous reports allege that Flynn misled the Trump administration regarding exactly what he discussed with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, as administration officials continue to maintain that the sanctions imposed by the Obama administration late last year were discussed while others deny the accusation.

The sanctions were implemented late last year after intelligence agencies concluded Russia had meddled in the U.S. election.

Vice President Mike Pence told CBS News last week that Flynn and Kislyak did not discuss the sanctions, but Pence met with Flynn Friday and Trump’s policy director, Stephen Miller, said on Sunday he had “no information” on what was discussed between Pence and Flynn or any talks involving the president.

The White House said Monday that President Trump was “evaluating the situation” involving Flynn. There is still no confirmation of whether or not Trump or Pence knew about the sanctions being discussed ahead of or after the call.

But a Washington Post story that broke Monday night said Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, who was then-head of the Department of Justice, told the White House in late January that she believed Flynn had misled officials about the conversation.

Flynn’s communications, should he have discussed the sanctions, could have violated the Logan Act – an arcane 1799 law that prohibits people in Flynn’s position from negotiating with foreign governments regarding a dispute. No one has ever been disciplined under the act.

Still, amid the controversy and rumors swirling about Washington, Colorado Congressmen from each side of the aisle are pressuring Flynn and the administration for more details regarding the call and say Flynn should resign if he misled the administration.

“As national security advisor, Michael Flynn is responsible to the President, Vice President, and the American people,” Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., said in a statement to Denver7 Monday evening. “It is his duty to be fully transparent and forthright in his actions—anything less is unacceptable. If in fact he purposely misled the President, he should step down immediately.”

Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat, also called for Flynn’s resignation if Flynn indeed discussed the sanctions.

“Nine separate sources have alleged that General Flynn discussed America’s sanctions policy with Russian officials prior to the inauguration,” Bennet said in a statement to Denver7. “There are reports of transcripts of these conversations. President Trump should demand to see the transcripts and immediately require the full truth from his national security team. He should then tell the American people whether or not General Flynn misrepresented his conversations. If General Flynn discussed sanctions on these calls, he should resign.”

Flynn denied discussing the sanctions in a Feb. 8 interview with The Post, but changed his statement the next day, saying through a spokesperson that he “couldn’t be certain that the topic never came up.”

The Post reports that FBI agents wrote a secret report after agents intercepted the call between Flynn and Kislyak, which led to Yates’ response.

Also Monday, the New York Times reported that the Army was investigating money Flynn may have received from the Russian government during one of the 2015 trips he made there.

Requests for comment from Sen. Cory Gardner’s office Monday on the matter amid a request for another story went unreturned.

———Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines.
Or, keep up-to-date by following Denver7 on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Posted on: February 13, 2017Blair Miller