WASHINGTON — The lead Democrat and Republican on the House Oversight Committee meted out a rare bipartisan rebuke of former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn on Tuesday after seeing private information that confirmed the former administration official failed to disclose foreign income from Russia and Turkey.
The public criticism of Flynn by the senior Republican on the House’s chief investigative panel is unusual and presents a dilemma for the White House, which was accused of failing to provide everything the committee asked for (Trump spokesman Sean Spicer said that the committee received all of the documents it requested).
Chairman Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican, and the panel’s ranking Democrat, Representative Elijah E. Cummings of Maryland, used sharp words to chastise Flynn, who was ousted in February after misleading Vice President Pence about his contacts with the former Russian ambassador.
The lawmakers said they believe Flynn neither received permission nor fully disclosed income he earned for a speaking engagement in Russia and lobbying activities on behalf of Turkey when he applied to renew his security clearance.
They reached the conclusion after viewing two classified memos and a disclosure form in a private briefing Tuesday morning.
‘‘Personally, I see no evidence or no data to support the notion that General Flynn complied with the law,’’ Chaffetz told reporters after the briefing.
Said Cummings: ‘‘He was supposed to get permission, he was supposed to report it, and he didn't. This is a major problem.’’
The bipartisan criticism of Flynn is a striking departure. Oversight has at times been overshadowed by partisan bickering, with Democrats often complaining of being shut out of major decisions on high-profile investigations like Benghazi.
It happens as the House and Senate intelligence committee move ahead with their probe into Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 election to help Trump.
The FBI is also investigating Russia’s suspected interference in the campaign, and both the congressional panel and the Justice Department are examining alleged ties between Trump allies and Russian officials.
After a rocky start, the House Intelligence Committee is gaining steam with a new head of the Russia investigation: Texas Representative K. Michael Conaway, a Republican who stepped in after the former chairman, Representative Devin Nunes, recused himself. The House probe was all but stalled after Nunes appeared to coordinate with the White House regarding names of officials he argued could have been improperly revealed in surveillance reports.
The Senate is also taking action. Former acting attorney general Sally Yates and former director of national intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. are scheduled to testify before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on May 8. House intelligence has also invited Yates and Clapper to testify in a public hearing that has not yet been scheduled.
Chaffetz and Cummings stressed Tuesday that as a former military officer, Flynn would have needed special permission for his December 2015 appearance at a gala sponsored by RT, the Russian-government-funded television station, for which he was paid $45,000. For his work lobbying on behalf of the Turkish government, he was paid more than $500,000.
‘‘It does not appear that was ever sought, nor did he get that permission,’’ Chaffetz said.
The Republican later added that while Flynn was clearly not in compliance with the law, ‘‘it would be a little strong to say that he flat-out lied.’’
Democrats pounced on the news, saying it was yet another drip of damaging information implicating Trump’s relationship with Russia.
‘‘The disturbing news that General Flynn may have violated the law in connection with his security clearance may be just the tip of the iceberg,’’ said Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, a New York Democrat.
‘‘These revelations highlight the importance of the intelligence committee working in a bipartisan way to request and receive documents with respect to any financial arrangements Flynn and others in similar positions may have had with foreign governments,’’ he said.
Flynn’s omission could cost him. Violations of this nature can be punished by up to five years of jail time. The FBI could open an investigation into the matter, and if they have not already, Congress could ask them to do so.
