Today, the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA-02), demanded an “extensive” and “independent” investigation into reports that the Trump campaign had repeated and ongoing discussions with Russian intelligence officials during the 2016 presidential election.
“The recent reports of repeated and ongoing contact between the Trump campaign and Russian intelligence officials are deeply disturbing, especially since they come less than a day after former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned from his position for lying about the nature of his conversations with a Russian diplomat.
“The White House was told weeks ago that Flynn lied about the nature of his conversations but they said nothing about it until media outlets made the issue public and they left Flynn on the National Security Council even though he was susceptible to Russian blackmail. Who gave Flynn the directive to talk to the Russian diplomat? This question and others are raised by these reports and they need to be answered.
“The Congressional Black Caucus demands that an extensive and independent investigation is conducted into these reports, including reports about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and Trump Administration ties with Russia. Further, as part of our role as the ‘Conscience of the Congress,’ the Congressional Black Caucus will examine the constitutional and national security questions that these reports raise.
“The Congressional Black Caucus represents communities filled with citizens who are tired of not having all of their constitutional rights respected. We have not stood silent while this White House promotes positions and policies that threaten our communities, and we will not stand silent while this White House condones collusion and conversations that threaten our national security.
“National security should be the top priority of the White House. But time after time the Trump Administration has demonstrated that they do not take this priority seriously. Since they don’t, Congress must.”
In addition to being the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman Richmond is a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and the House Committee on the Judiciary.
