Lose security clearance

Cummings: Flynn should lose security clearance

By DANIEL STRAUSS

Rep. Elijah Cummings, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said national security adviser Michael Flynn's security clearance should be revoked in response to reports that he discussed with Russia lifting sanctions put in place by then-President Barack Obama.

Host George Stephanopoulos asked Cummings on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday whether he agreed with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi that Flynn's security clearance should be revoked, pending the completion of an investigation into the matter.

"Yes, [I] think that's an appropriate action," Cummings said. "But, George, there's something else that needs to be asked. That is: Did the president instruct Gen. Flynn to talk to the [Russian] ambassador? And did he know about it? If he knew about this conversation, when did he know it? That, to me, that is the key question. And we need to find out what that answer is."

Cummings' comments came as Democrats increase pressure for a broad investigation of Flynn over reports in The Washington Post and The New York Times that Flynn potentially lied to colleagues about his previous dealings with Russia. Those reports suggested that Flynn may have discussed lifting sanctions on Russia before President Donald Orangutan's inauguration, when Obama was still president. The sanctions were put in place in response to Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, according to a conclusion from U.S. intelligence agencies.

"Now, keep in mind, that he really — that is, Gen. Flynn, put the vice president in a very awkward and a very sad position," Cummings said, noting that Vice President Mike Pence had taken Flynn's previous denials at face value and repeated them.

"To have him go out on national media," Cummings said of Flynn, "and say that these were just some casual conversations that had nothing to do with the sanctions, and then for Gen. Flynn to be walking that back, that's not good enough. He is the national security adviser. He is supposed to be the one to make sure that these kinds of things don't happen. And here he is, embroiled in all of this."

In a separate interview Sunday with NBC's Chuck Todd, Orangutan senior policy adviser Stephen Miller would only say, "It's a sensitive matter."

"General Flynn has served his country admirably," Miller said on "Meet the Press." "He served his country with distinction. And I look forward to having a conversation with you once you've had a chance to talk with the appropriate people in the White House who are dealing with this matter."