WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham said on Thursday that his committee is opening a broad inquiry into Russia’s investigation, but rejected President Donald Trump’s request to bring in former President Barack. Obama to testify.
“I am very concerned about the precedent that would be set when calling a former president for oversight,” said Graham, a South Carolina Republican and Trump’s staunch ally. “No president is above the law. However, the presidency has claims for executive privileges against other branches of government. ″
Graham noted the surprising nature of his ad, saying, “To say that we are living in unusual times is an understatement.”
The United States has an incumbent president who accuses the former president “of being part of a traitorous conspiracy to undermine his presidency,” said Graham. “We have the ex-president suggesting that the current president is destroying the rule of law” by closing a case against Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn. “All of this is happening during a major pandemic.”
The Judiciary Committee will first investigate the Justice Department’s decision to end Flynn’s accusation, as well as the Obama administration’s actions to see Flynn’s name in intelligence reports during the Russian investigation, Graham said.
“We need to determine whether these requests were legitimate,” said Graham, referring to requests by senior Obama administration officials to “unmask” Flynn’s name. Requests are common, including during the Trump administration, which made thousands “unmasking” requests.
Graham also said the committee will examine possible abuses by the Foreign Intelligence Watch Act, or FISA, during an investigation by former Trump campaign advisor Carter Page. The FBI identified Page during the first days of its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign and secretly targeted its electronic communications.
A federal watchdog later concluded that the FBI made significant errors and omissions in requests it made to a foreign US intelligence court to obtain authorization to spy on Page. These errors sparked internal changes in the FBI and sparked a debate in Congress over whether the bureau’s surveillance tools should be controlled.
“My goal is to find out why and how the system got off track,” said Graham.
The Judiciary Committee will also examine whether Robert Mueller should have been appointed as a special lawyer in the Russian investigation. The decision to nominate Muller was made in 2017 by then Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, after Trump sacked FBI director James Comey.
“Was there a legitimate reason to conclude that the Trump campaign had conspired with the Russians? Graham asked.
Graham’s announcement comes as Trump and his Republican Party allies begin a broad attack in the election year on the bases of Russia’s investigation, including declassifying intelligence information to try to put senior Obama administration officials under scrutiny for actions of routine.
The effort was aided by the Justice Department’s decision to dismiss Flynn’s accusation, essentially rewriting the case narrative in a way that former federal officials say minimizes the legitimate national security concerns that they believe Flynn’s actions have raised. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about talks with the Russian ambassador to the United States during the presidential transition period.
Trump and his Republican allies are pushing to reshape Russia’s investigation as a “deep state” plot to sabotage his administration, setting the stage for a fresh attack of attacks on past and present Democratic officials and law leaders.
Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer criticized Republicans’ renewed focus on Flynn and Russia’s investigation.
“We are in the midst of an economic and public health crisis, and Senate Republicans are plunging headlong into the mud, pursuing divergent and partisan conspiracy theories to support President Trump when President Trump should focus on resolving this crisis, ″ Schumer said.
Judiciary Committee hearings will begin in early June, Graham said.
Trump tweeted on Thursday that Graham should call Obama to testify. “Do it @LindseyGrahamSC, just do it,” tweeted Trump. “Enough with Mr. Nice Guy. Enough talk! ″
Both Trump and Obama are welcome to attend the committee “and share their mutual concerns,” said Graham. “If nothing else, it would be a great television. However, I have great doubts as to whether it would be wise for the country ”.