The government watchdog group Judicial Watch announced Monday it has filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the Central Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury for public records relating to the investigation of former National Security Adviser Mike Flynn.
The National Security Agency has refused to confirm or deny the existence of intelligence records about communications between Flynn and Russian Ambassador Sergy Kislyak. Judicial Watch had requested the documents Jan. 25, just days after President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
It is seeking “any and all records regarding, concerning, or related to the investigation of retired Gen. Michael Flynn’s communications with Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak between Oct. 1, 2016, and the present.” The request also includes “any and all related warrants, affidavits, declarations or similar records regarding the aforementioned investigation.”
Judicial Watch’s request is based on a Jan. 23 CNN report that cited information provided by members of the Intelligence Community. That report stated:
The calls were captured by routine US eavesdropping targeting the Russian diplomats, according to the intelligence and law enforcement officials. But the officials said some of the content of the conversation raised enough potential concerns that investigators are still looking into the discussions, amid a broader concern about Russian intelligence-gathering activities in the United States.
The officials all stressed that so far, there has been no determination of any wrongdoing.
FBI and intelligence officials briefed members of the Obama White House team before President Barack Obama left office about the Flynn calls to the Russian ambassador, sources said.
In its complaint, the government watchdog is asking that the agencies be ordered to search for all records responsive to its FOIA requests and demonstrate that they employed reasonable search methods. It also wants the agencies ordered to produce all non-exempt records and a “Vaughn index”—a document that lists the justification for each instance of withholding of information—and that they be instructed to stop withholding all non-exempt records.
“President Trump is onto something,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said. “The Obama-connected wiretapping and illegal leaks of classified material concerning President Trump and General Flynn are a scandal.
“Judicial Watch aims to get to the truth about these crimes, and we hope the Trump administration stands with us in the fight for transparency.” {eoa}
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