December 6, 2017

Michael Flynn Vowed to Put Ending Russia Sanctions Among “First Orders of Business,” Whistleblower Says

Congressman summarizes “credible” claims in a letter to the House Oversight Committee..

Ting Shen/ZUMA

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Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, promised to swiftly end US sanctions against Russia as one of the “first orders of business” for the incoming Trump administration, according to a whistleblower’s account detailed in a new letter from Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

The whistleblower also said that within minutes of Trump’s swearing in, Flynn communicated directly with business associates while at the inauguration ceremony about plans to begin building nuclear reactors in the Middle East—a joint project with Russia, according to the letter.

“Mike has been putting everything in place for us,” the former business associate Alex Copson said, according to the whistleblower. “This is going to make a lot of very wealthy people.”

“Our Committee has credible allegations that President Trump’s National Security Advisor sought to manipulate the course of international nuclear policy for the financial gain of his former business partners,” Cummings wrote. “These grave allegations compel a full, credible, and bipartisan congressional investigation,” Cummings wrote in the letter addressed to committee chairman Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.).

Last week, Flynn pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI about his communications to Russian officials.

Read Cummings’ letter below:

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