RICH LOWRY: Let’s hear all the facts on Russian calls

The New York Times reported that United States intelligence agents intercepted calls showing that members of Trump’s 2016 campaign had repeated contacts with top Russian intelligence officials in the year preceding the November 8 presidential election.

It’s already hard to remember how freakish this once would have seemed for any American politician – particularly a Republican and particularly a president. One hundred days after he shocked the world in winning the presidency, Donald Trump made clear he believes Presidents need foils too. Let’s get a detailed accounting of how the Russians went about their hacking, and why we know it was them.

Russian Federation did not respond in its normally aggressive way to the explosion of alleged agents from its diplomatic posts in the U.S. and the closure of several compounds allegedly used for espionage activities, leading to suspicion that it believed that the Trump administration would act in a way more conducive to Moscow’s position.

Flynn was sacked by President Donald Trump earlier this week after it was revealed that he withheld information from Vice President Mike Pence about his conversations with Sergey Kislyak, Russia’s ambassador to the US.

Trump called the reports a “ruse” and said he had “nothing to do with Russian Federation”.

They also professed that probe into the matter should also be extended to the fact after Trump learned that his national security adviser had discussed US sanctions with a Russian diplomat.

Chaffetz did turn his attention to a different Trump administration matter later Tuesday, sending a letter to the White House seeking information about Trump’s discussion of a North Korea missile launch while dining al fresco with the Japanese prime minister at a resort in Florida.

The GOP’s lack of enthusiasm about investigating the Trump White House comes as Capitol Hill Republicans struggle to come to terms with a new administration that has been engulfed in upheaval after upheaval.

Trump never voiced public support for Flynn after that initial report but continued to keep his national security adviser close. I know you have to get up and ask your question but Russian Federation is a ruse.

Previously, the White House was warned about Flynn’s communication with Russian officials, and reportedly said he was vulnerable to blackmail. But if Flynn told the agents that he hadn’t mentioned sanctions on the call, as he’d been saying publicly, that would be a felony. Most don’t like or trust Mr Trump and would undoubtedly prefer Mr Pence as president. His alleged legal vulnerability was a potential violation of the Logan Act, which forbids private interference in USA foreign policy.

President-elect Trump and then-President Barack Obama were both briefed on details of the extensive communications between suspected Russian operatives and people associated with the Trump campaign and the Trump business, according to U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

Trump has also refused to release his tax returns to rebut claims that he is not being truthful when he says he has no investments or exposure to Russian Federation. I said, ‘I know politically it’s probably not good for me.’ The greatest thing I could do is shoot that ship that’s 30 miles off shore right out of the water.

Pence had defended Flynn in television interviews and was described by administration officials as upset about being misled. In one of the primary debates, Jeb Bush said of Trump: “He’s a chaos candidate and he’d be a chaos president”.

The Washington Post reported earlier the warning and that Yates was concerned Flynn was potentially vulnerable to being blackmailed by Russian Federation, an account that the official confirmed. Trump has tasked retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg with filling the role temporarily but is also considering two other retired military leaders to permanently replace Flynn.

Petraeus is well known as a retired four-star general lauded for his leadership in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Trump’s declaration that Flynn didn’t do anything illegal is even less credible given information that came to light on Thursday. Harward served on the National Security Council’s staff and at the National Counterterrorism Center under President George W. Bush.