A standoff is brewing between the State Department and lawmakers over the handling of former Special Envoy to Iran Robert Malley’s security clearance. Malley’s clearance was revoked amid allegations that he shared classified information with the Iranian regime.
In a strongly worded letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch expressed their frustration with the department’s lack of cooperation. The lawmakers have been seeking information about Malley’s clearance since June 2023, but have been met with stonewalling.
The letter, sent on Tuesday, states that the department’s failure to respond to repeated inquiries is “deeply troubling” and that the allegations against Malley are “serious.” The lawmakers note that they have received more information about the case from the press than from the State Department.
McCaul and Risch are seeking answers to several questions about Malley’s clearance, including whether there was a classified response to their initial inquiry and when they can expect a reply. They also want to know how Blinken plans to handle his own involvement in the case, given his personal relationship with Malley.
The lawmakers are giving the State Department until August 2, 2024, to provide the requested information. If the deadline is not met, they warn that they will be forced to take further action to secure documents, materials, and testimony from key members of the department’s team.
“We will be compelled to pursue compulsory processes to secure any relevant information,” the letter states.
More background on the situation from Republican Congressman Michael Waltz:
