The Biden administration’s briefing on Friday for the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the suspension of Robert Malley as U.S. special envoy on Iran came without details.
A spokesperson for the committee told JNS on background that the Biden administration refused to provide any significant, new information, including the reason why Malley’s security clearance was revoked.
The administration officials claimed they could not do so due to the privacy act, according to the spokesperson, who said the committee plans to follow up and get more information in the very near future.
“They couldn’t get into the details,” House Foreign Affairs Committee chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas) told Jewish Insider, following the classified briefing.
The congressman, who had insisted upon the meeting, said that Biden administration officials would not say more about an ongoing investigation. Malley is alleged to have mishandled classified information.
“The question is, is the FBI involved because if they are, then that’s a national security problem,” McCaul said. He also said that it was a problem that Malley’s suspension was reported in the news before the State Department notified Congress.
Earlier in the week, Adam Kredo reported in The Washington Free Beacon that Malley continued to perform official duties even after his security clearance was pulled, likely violating State Department protocols.
