Senate Republican leaders said Tuesday that ousted National Security Advisor Mike Flynn will likely have to answer questions from Congress in what will likely become an expanded Senate Intelligence Committee probe into Russian involvement in the 2016 elections.
“We are well on the way to looking at those issues and [Flynn] will easily fit into that investigation,” Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., a GOP leader and member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Tuesday.
Flynn resigned late Monday after admitting he mislead Vice President Pence when he denied talking to the Russian ambassador about sanctions in a phone call before President Trump took office.
Democrats are demanding a full-fledged, independent probe into Flynn’s conversation with the Russians.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Tuesday downplayed the need for an independent probe but did say the Senate Intelligence panel will likely broaden an ongoing probe to include Flynn.
“The intelligence committee is already looking at Russian intervention into our election,” McConnell said. “It’s highly likely they’ll want to look into this episode as well. They have broad jurisdiction to do it.”
Blunt predicted the probe will involve questioning Flynn directly.
“I think it’s highly likely Gen. Flynn will be at some point asked to come and talk to the committee about both post-election activity and any other activities,” relating to Russia.
But the committee’s chairman, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., told reporters Tuesday that he does not want the proceedings to be public. Many committee hearings are held in a non-public setting in order to allow discussion on sensitive issues.
