The ranking member on the House Oversight Committee wants to know more about potential conflicts of interests concerning President-elect Trump’s choice for national security adviser.
Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn was named to the White House post Friday, but Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., says Flynn’s consulting firm has been working on behalf of foreign interests to lobby the U.S. government at the same time the former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency was receiving classified briefings.
“Recent news reports have revealed that Lt. Gen. Flynn was receiving classified briefings during the presidential campaign while his consulting firm, Flynn Intel Group, Inc., was being paid to lobby the U.S. Government on behalf of a foreign government’s interests,” Cummings wrote in a letter to Vice President-elect Mike Pence.
“Lt. Gen. Flynn’s general counsel and principal, Robert Kelley, confirmed that they were hired by a foreign company to lobby for Turkish interests.”
Cummings also said Flynn was paid to travel to Moscow and joined Russian President Vladimir Putin at a dinner honoring Russia Today, a media network run by the Russian government.
Flynn’s travel was paid for by his speaker’s bureau, but he hasn’t reported how much he made or why exactly he was at the event. During the event, Flynn gave a speech that was critical of the United States.
“Lt. Gen. Flynn’s involvement in advising Mr. Trump on matters relating to Turkey or Russia — including attending classified briefings on those matters — could violate the Trump for America, Inc. Code of Ethical Conduct,” the letter stated.
Cummings asked for a copy of Flynn’s signed code of ethical conduct, any other signed statement from Flynn stating he has no financial conflicts of interest in the campaign or transition team, a copy of any other information provided by Flynn to the transition team to show his business clients and vet potential conflicts of interest and a copy of the memorandum of understanding regarding transition procedures signed by Pence.
