WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2020) Outgoing US Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell declassified transcripts of phone conversations that took place in 2016 between former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, Fox news reported on Tuesday citing a US official.
Grennel's move comes just as he is handing over the reigns of the agency to John Ratcliffe, who was sworn in earlier in the day. The decision on whether to make the newly-declassified transcripts public will now be left to Ratcliffe.
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said during a press briefing on Tuesday that she had not spoken to President Donald Trump about the matter but underscored that he has previously encouraged transparency on the issue.
Recently declassified documents revealed a number of Obama-era officials had received intelligence about Flynn's conversations ahead of Trump's inauguration, including Vice President Joe Biden, FBI Director James Comey, DNI James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan and US Ambassador the United Nations Samantha Power.
On December 1, 2017, Flynn pleaded guilty in Federal court to making false statements to the FBI. Flynn was prosecuted for lying to investigators about conversations with Kislyak, including regarding the prospects for lifting US sanctions against Moscow.
Earlier this month, the Justice Department announced it was dismissing Flynn's prosecution due to evidence that the FBI entrapped him absent a crime, but the US federal judge overseeing the case put that move on hold.
