Today’s revelations that the Pentagon Inspector General is investigating disgraced former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and that the White House is stonewalling congressional probes of Flynn’s ties to Russia underscore the need for a nonpartisan, independent investigation of Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

The Trump administration’s refusal to provide documents pertinent to the Flynn and Russian investigations fails the smell test. It’s abundantly clear that the only way we’ll get to the truth is through a vigorous, independent inquiry, staffed by experienced investigators and attorneys. The American people need to know the truth and the current congressional investigations will not provide it.

The House and Senate Intelligence Committees have repeatedly proven themselves not up to the task at hand. The chairmen of both committees have bowed to White House requests that they attempt to tamp down media coverage of the Russian election attacks. We are talking about a direct attack on our nation by a hostile foreign power and the intelligence committees are refusing to seriously investigate it, apparently for political ends. That is completely unacceptable.

It is time to put the good of the nation before partisan politics and convene and empower and independent commission to fully investigate the Russian attack on our democracy.

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