Susan Rice declines request to testify on Russia's 2016 election involvement, Trump tweets 'Not Good!'
Susan Rice, the former national security adviser to Barack Obama, has opted out of appearing before a Senate subcommittee investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 election, according to a CNN report on Wednesday.
The request was extended by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
A letter sent on Rice's behalf by her lawyer, Kathryn Ruemmle, reads, in part, "Senator Whitehouse has informed us by letter that he did not agree to Chairman Graham's invitation to Ambassador Rice, a significant departure from the bipartisan invitations extended to other witnesses. Under these circumstances, Ambassador Rice respectfully declines Senator Graham's invitation to testify."
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It goes on to note, "...as Ambassador Rice has stated publicly, she supports and is committed to assisting the bipartisan Congressional inquiries into Russian interference in the 2016 election, given the utmost importance of this matter to our national security."
Politico notes that Rice became a person of interest in the Russia investigation "following reports last month that, as national security adviser, she requested the names of President Donald Trump's transition aides who were referenced in intelligence reports after the election."
President Trump's response to Rice's decision to forego the hearing was swift.
On Thursday morning, he tweeted, "Susan Rice, the former National Security Advisor to President Obama, is refusing to testify before a Senate Subcommittee next week on allegations of unmasking Trump transition officials. Not good!"
