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US Lawmakers: Flynn Had to Go

by Michael Bowman

   CAPITOL HILL --

   U.S. lawmakers of both political parties said they approved of Michael
   Flynn's resignation as national security adviser and urged President
   Donald Trump to bring order to his fledgling White House on national
   security matters and beyond.

   "That was a decision that was certainly warranted," Republican Senator
   John McCain of Arizona told reporters Tuesday. "The vice president was
   misinformed [by Flynn]."

   In his resignation letter, Flynn said he gave Vice President Mike Pence
   incomplete information about his conversations with Russia's ambassador
   to the United States. Pence went on national television to deny that
   U.S. sanctions had been discussed with the Russian envoy, but Flynn
   later conceded that the issue may have come up.

   U.S. law bars unauthorized citizens from negotiating with foreign
   governments. Independent Senator Angus King of Maine noted that Flynn
   spoke with the Russian ambassador during the waning days of the Obama
   administration.

   "Private citizens, which is what general Flynn was at that point, are
   not supposed to be negotiating with foreign countries," King said. "We
   can only have one president at a time."

   Lawmakers said their concerns go beyond Flynn's actions.

   "He [Trump] has to have a proper decision-making process," McCain said.
   "There are various centers of influence in the White House that lead to
   a degree of disarray and disorganization, the likes of which we have
   never seen.

   National security adviser General Michael Flynn delivers a statement
   daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Feb. 1, 2017.

   Our [congressional] oversight responsibilities are increased now
   because it's pretty clear that this administration is incoherent on
   national security," the Arizona Republican added.

   "He [Trump] has to select a national security adviser," said Democratic
   Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island. "That's step one. Step two, he has
   to, I think, conduct a very thorough review of his relationship with
   his associates and the Russians. And there are many suggestions that
   those associations are more than just casual."

   FILE - Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., talks with reporters on Capitol Hill.

   Flynn's resignation adds to a slew of controversies concerning Russia
   and underscores the need for thorough congressional probes, according
   to Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

   "This is very alarming," Manchin told VOA. "We will find out the depth
   of that [Russian influence] and where it goes, wherever the facts take
   us. You want a conclusion to this, if it goes any further, any deeper.
   I think the public wants to know and has a right to know, and we're
   going to look at it."