Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 24 May 2017
Hands off US election, ex-CIA director says he warned Russia

DEB RIECHMANN
EILEEN SULLIVAN
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — For-
mer CIA Director John Bren-
nan told Congress Tuesday
he personally warned Rus-
sia last summer against
interfering in the U.S. presi-
dential election and was
so concerned about Rus-
sian contacts with people
involved in Donald Trump’s
campaign that he con-
vened top counterintelli-
gence officials to focus on
them.
Meanwhile, a Senate com-
mittee issued two addition-
al subpoenas to businesses
of ousted Trump National
Security Adviser Michael
Flynn, one of several key
figures in the Russia-Trump
campaign probe, and sent
a letter to his lawyer ques-
tioning his basis for claim-
ing a Fifth Amendment
right not to provide docu-
ments.
If there is no response from
Flynn, the Senate Intel-
ligence Committee may
consider a contempt-of-
Congress charge, said
Chairman Richard Burr of
North Carolina. Former CIA Director John Brennan testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 23, 2017, before the House Intelligence
Tuesday’s letter narrowed Committee Russia Investigation Task Force. AssociatedPress
the scope of the docu-
ments the panel is seek- a basis to have individuals Dan Coats, the current U.S. tion, while former cam- known Russian efforts to
ing. Flynn had rejected
the earlier subpoena for pull those threads.” director of national intel- paign adviser Carter Page suborn such individuals,
and it raised questions in
has not.
Brennan noted anew that ligence, declined to com-
records as being so broad
that providing them could U.S. intelligence agencies ment Tuesday on a Wash- The Senate panel on Tues- my mind, again, whether or
had concluded “Russia’s ington Post report that said day decided to issue two not the Russians were able
make him vulnerable.
Former CIA chief Brennan’s goals were to undermine the president had asked additional subpoenas to to gain the cooperation of
him to publicly deny any Flynn’s businesses and sent those individuals.”
public faith in the U.S. dem-
testimony to the House in-
telligence committee was ocratic process, denigrate collusion between Russia the letter to his lawyer ask- In late July of last year there
ing about the legal basis for was so much concern that
Secretary (Hillary) Clinton and Trump’s campaign.
the clearest public indica-
tion yet of the significance and harm her electabil- Coats told senators at his invoking his Fifth Amend- he convened a group of of-
a Senate hearing that it ment right over documents ficials from the CIA, FBI and
ity and potential presiden-
the Russia contacts play
in counterintelligence in- cy, and to help President would be inappropriate as opposed to testimony. National Security Agency
Trump’s election chances.”
to focus on it exclusively.
Burr said if there is no re-
to discuss private conver-
vestigations that continue
to hang over the White “It should be clear to every- sations he’d had with the sponse from Flynn his com- He said he had personally
mittee may consider a con-
told a senior Russian secu-
one that Russia brazenly in-
president.
House.
Brennan, who was Presi- terfered in our 2016 present Nevertheless, Mark Warner tempt-of-Congress charge. rity official that continued
election process” and did of Virginia, the top Demo-
“Everything is on the table,” meddling would backfire
dent Barack Obama’s CIA
director, said he couldn’t so despite strong protests crat on the Senate intel- Burr said. Everything but im- and prevent any warming
and his warning, he said.
ligence committee, said munity, he added.
of relations after the elec-
say whether there was col-
lusion between Russia and Trump has predicted the in- Coats and NSA director Investigators also have tion. He said the Russian
vestigations won’t find col-
Mike Rogers should provide questions about contacts official denied such inter-
the Trump campaign, an
issue being investigated by lusion, and his efforts to cast explanations. between the Russians and ference but also said he
doubt and curb the probes A day earlier, Flynn had Trump’s son-in-law Jared would relay the concern to
congressional committees
and now a federal special have led to the appoint- invoked his constitutional Kushner and Attorney Gen- President Vladimir Putin.
Trump, currently on a nine-
eral Jeff Sessions.
ment of a special counsel right not to incriminate him-
counsel.
“I don’t have sufficient in- at the Justice Department. self in response to the Sen- Brennan said he had seen day international trip, has
News reports that Trump ate committee’s request intelligence that “revealed had his own conversations
formation to make a de-
termination about whether asked his national intelli- for details about interac- contacts and interactions” with the Russians ques-
gence director and Nation-
tions between him and the between Russian officials tioned in light of reports
or not such cooperation or
complicity or collusion was al Security Agency chief to Russians. Trump associates and Americans “involved” that he shared extremely
state publicly there was no Paul Manafort and Roger in the Trump campaign. classified intelligence with
taking place,” Brennan
said. “But I know there was evidence of collusion have Stone have provided the He said this was cause Russian diplomats in the
heightened criticism. committee with informa- for concern “because of Oval Office on May 10.q