Local federal lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree that Gen. Michael Flynn’s resignation as national security adviser –– and his purported communications with Russian officials –– raises several troubling questions.
But they differ on just what questions ought to be asked.
Flynn was forced to resign on Monday after misleading Vice President Mike Pence and other Trump aides involving contacts between Russian intelligence officials and members of Trump’s 2016 campaign team and Trump associates, media outlets have reported.
“It is now clear that the Trump administration’s national security apparatus is in chaos, creating a very troubling time for our country,” said U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., in a prepared statement. “General Flynn’s resignation, the continued cloudiness regarding Trump aides and their communication with Russian officials, the open air conversations regarding North Korean missiles — I am at a loss as to how to categorize what is happening over there (White House).”
But U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said that –– while Flynn should have resigned if he lied or misled Pence –– other questions are circling his mind, including how the intelligence community learned of the details.
“We have strict laws that are very narrowly constrained in the ability of our intelligence services to spy on American citizens,” Toomey said. “Well, it appears that somebody was spying and it included information about Gen. Flynn. Were those people following the law, and if so, how did that happen? Were they gathering information that came from Gen. Flynn based on a warrant?”
Toomey said he considers a warrant being issued shocking news. And those questions, he said, need to be dealt with.
“Also, where did these leaks come from? Who made these leaks?” Toomey said. “Look, I think if he was dishonest he needed to go. But there are clearly some questions that need to be addressed. I hope our intelligence community will thoroughly review that and get to the bottom of it.”
For his part, U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., shared similar thoughts.
“I believe it is imperative to determine why individuals within the intelligence community would risk career, reputation, and possibly imprisonment to leak this information,” Thompson said. “I will not further speculate as to whether these actions were politically motivated or an effort to expose wrongdoing, that should be left up to the House and Senate intelligence committees to address during their investigations.”
Casey said he believes an independent, thorough investigation should be undertaken with what happened with Flynn and the Trump administration’s conduct involving Russia.
“The administration keeps rebutting each action they take with saying they are keeping Americans safer but this behavior is just plain dangerous,” Casey said.
Toomey said there needs to be an understanding that what Russia stands for is against American interests.
“It is regime that has grossly abused its own people, and we’re talking (Vladimir) Putin here,” Toomey said, adding that has included killing fellow Russians.
Toomey said he favors upholding the sanctions that have been imposed on Russia, while at the same time making them tougher.
“If it turns out that Russia violates other agreements that we have with respect to missiles or something else, then I think that would justify another round of sanctions,” Toomey said.
