In a newly declassified email that Susan Rice sent to herself on January 20, 2017, the former National Security Adviser said that former FBI director James Comey had "no indication" that Michael Flynn had passed along classified information to Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, but stipulated that Comey was nevertheless wary about sharing sensitive information with Flynn due to the frequency of his contact with Kislyak.
The document, reportedly declassified by acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell, says that Comey said he was "proceeding 'by the book' as it relates to law enforcement," and that he had "concerns" that Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser, was "speaking frequently" with Kisylak.
"President Obama asked if Comey was saying that the NSC should not pass sensitive information related to Russia to Flynn. Comey replied 'potentially,'" the email reads. "He added that he has no indication thus far that Flynn has passed classified information to Kislyak, but he noted that 'the level of communication is unusual.'"
Flynn was interviewed by the FBI on January 24, 2017 about his call with Kislyak, and subsequently pleaded guilty to lying during questioning. In 2018, Comey admitted that he "sent" the agents to interview Flynn in the White, adding that it was "something I probably wouldn't have done or maybe gotten away with in a more organized administration."
The Justice Department, which earlier this month moved to drop its case against Flynn after a review, explained in its filing that Flynn's interview was not "conducted with a legitimate investigative basis" and was immaterial "even if untrue." Recently released documents showed that the FBI moved to close its investigation of Flynn on January 4, 2017 — a day before the Oval Office meeting discussed in the Rice email — after finding "no derogatory information" with respect to Flynn's alleged Russian contacts. But FBI agent Peter Strzok intervened to request that the case be kept open, revealing that the "7th floor," an FBI euphemism for senior leadership, was "involved."
Rice's email was sent to herself 15 days after the Oval Office meeting. Former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates testified that she was "so surprised" to hear Obama asking about Flynn's call with Kislyak in the meeting because she had not been aware of the call herself.
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