Sen. Franken: We Must Investigate Alarming Ties Between President Trump and Russia

Statement

Senator Al Franken released the following statement on the growing concern with President Trump and his team's close ties to Russia:

"I am deeply concerned about the relationship between President Donald Trump and Russia.

"Last night, reports surfaced that high-level members of the Trump campaign staff were in repeated contact with senior Russian intelligence officials before the election. And that's on top of the already troubling revelation that General Michael Flynn, the President's disgraced former National Security Advisor who was forced to resign his post earlier this week, lied about speaking with the Russian Ambassador about the prospect of easing U.S. sanctions against Russia.

"Let me be very clear: Russia wants to subvert our democracy and its close ties with the President and his staff raise several red flags. And while I'm relieved that General Flynn no longer has the President's ear, I don't believe that this case is anywhere near closed.

"We must pursue independent, bipartisan, and comprehensive investigations into what the Trump Administration knew about General Flynn's problematic contact with Russia, when they knew it, why the public was misled, and whether or not Flynn was ordered to discuss the issue of sanctions. And we also must probe the reported contact between President Trump's campaign staff and Russian intelligence.

"The American people deserve to know the full extent of the President and his team's ties to Russia-including possible financial ties, which is why he must immediately release his tax returns.

"Let's give the public the information they deserve about the President and how his relationship with Russia will continue to affect U.S. policy and the lives of people in Minnesota and across the country."

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